Natural perfumes – better for your health and for the environment…
it’s true. But women love what they love. Try telling your nearest and dearest that the perfume she adores might be damaging her health. It’s a fact that “Perfume is composed of many of the same toxic chemicals found on the EPA’s and CERCLA’s hazardous waste lists: acetone, ethyl acetate, toluene, and ethanol, among others. Other extremely poisonous substances found in fragrances are musk ambrette, musk xylene and musk ketone. A 1991 study performed by the EPA, Identification of Polar Volatile Organic Compounds in Consumer Products and Common Microenvironments, found numerous chemicals commonly used in fragrance products, including, among others: acetone; benzaldehyde; benzyl acetate; benzyl alcohol; camphor; ethanol; ethyl acetate; limonene; linalool; methylene chloride, one or all of which, or in combination with one another, cause, when inhaled, “central nervous system disorders, dizziness, nausea, incoordination, slurred speech, drowsiness, irritation to the mouth, throat, eyes, skin, lungs and GI tract, kidney damage, headache, respiratory failure, ataxia, and fatigue, among other symptoms and illnesses.” Material Safety Data Sheets on each chemical confirm these findings.
The EPA identified and confirmed the following compounds found in these fragrance products: •ethanol •camphene •Beta-pinene •Beta-myrcene •benzaldehyde •limonene •benzyl alcohol •Beta-phenethyl alcohol •citronellal •camphor •benzyl acetate •estragole •Alpha-cedrene •Alpha-pinene •diethylene glycol mnoethyl ether •linalool •Alpha-terpineol •Beta-citronellol . Other compounds identified were: •acetone •t-butanol •ethyl acetate •toluene •3-octanone •cineole •2-ethyl-1-hexanol* •phenylacetaidehyde •terpinen-4-ol* •menthyl acetate.” (source reference Perfumes, Colognes, Pesticides, are they slowly killing you?)
Even armed with the facts you are unlikely to get a very warm reception when you share this information with the woman you love. Suggesting she try natural perfumes will spark a “patchouli”, “smelly hippy” war of words. Natural perfumes are usually more expensive than commercially made perfumes. Commercially made perfumes, even the more expensive designer types have very little actual natural components (though natural flowers are listed in their descriptions) and they are heavily laden with the dangerous chemicals listed above. “But they smell SO good though!” I hear you cry. Don’t despair. Gorgeous natural perfumes can be made at home very easily and well made naturals that are for sale are far from patchouli smelling “hippy oils” that most people imagine. Search for “Natural Perfumes” on Google and start there. Always email the company before you buy because some companies market themselves as natural but if you ask they will tell you that their perfumes do contain some chemicals.
You can make a wonderful homemade solid perfume with a few simple ingredients. Jasmine is a great one to start with because everyone loves it.
Combine 15 drops of natural jasmine grandiflorum concrete with 15 drops of orange blossom in a teaspoon of jojoba oil or refined coconut oil and leave it to infuse. Melt 1/2 teaspoon of natural beeswax in a small metal container and carefully add the scented oil. Allow to heat until the beeswax is liquid (low heat) and then pour into a pretty jar.
This perfume is not only 100% natural but jasmine and orange blossom are wonderful for balancing the emotions, for relieving stress and anxiety, curing headaches and easing depression.
Natural perfumes are better for the environment because the ingredients are biodegradable. Most of the production methods for extracting natural essences are still the same techniques they used hundreds of years ago. Solvents that are used in the extraction process are reused over and over and the waste plant material is used as food for the land. Bear in mind when purchasing raw materials or natural perfumes that it is always better to buy from an ethical company. Always drop a quick line to make sure that their perfumes are free from chemicals and that their materials are from ethically harvested sources.
While it’s a fact that some natural plant essences are made up of naturally ocurring chemicals, some that even appear on the “hazzardous list”, eg. Linalool, it is a fact that there will be the presence of another naturally occuring chemical that will often eliminate the negative effects. It is when we try to mimic nature by isolating a single chemical and copying it that we seem to run into problems. Nature has a way of creating balance that science is a long way from matching.
Once you start using natural perfumes you will find it hard to stand commercial chemical blends and you will soon find your nose becoming more fine tuned to what’s real and what’s fake.
Related posts:
- Surface finishes Part 2 – Interior paint & health
- Natural beauty
- Incense and your health
- Using plant essences for health and beauty
- Air Fresheners and Your Health
- Natural suncare potions and remedies.
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Try http://www.agapeandzoe.com
They sell phthalate-free fragrances with only essential oils and organic alcohol. They smell wonderful and have been blogged about by Sara Snow and Paige Padgett.
Thanks for pointing out some of the dangers of conventional fragrances. This is an under-reported issue.