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Fragrance - Is It Natural?
By Jane Thurnell-Read, Thu Dec 8th
95% of chemicals used in are synthetic compoundsderived from petroleum. It has been estimated that more than3000 different chemmcials are used in fragrance production. Dothese figures shock you? Yes, manufacturers are very clever - wesee the packaging and the adverts showing flowers and nature,and we assume (as the manufacturer intends us to assume) thatthe fragrance in the product is derived from nature, but mostfragrances are chemically derived. They do not use essentialoils because they are too expensive. They do use syntheticchemicals because they are cheap. We are exposed to perfume or fragrance throughout the day. Wemay not wear perfume ourselves, but our shampoo, soap, showergel and cosmetics are likely to contain synthetic perfumes,unless we look at the label and shop carefully. We encounter more smells in our household products - cleaners,washing powders, polish, air fresheners, etc. If we go out, weexperience these smells on other people and in offices andstores.
Perfume mixes added to products are listed in the ingredients as'parfum' or 'fragrance' depending on the part of the world youlive in. Even some products that appear to be unperfumed willcontain synthetic perfumes in order to cover an unpleasant
odourfrom one of the active ingredients, or to ensure that theproduct always smells the same. The exact composition of thesemay vary over time even for the same product, as themanufacturer adjust the fragrance mix in relation to variationsin the smell of the raw ingredients. Even some essential oils are not entirely natural, as harshchemicals may be used in their extraction process. Chemicalsolvents such as hexane and heptane are used to extract themaximum amount of oil from the plant, so it is important to buygood quality oils from a source you trust. Allergies to are very common. The main organsaffected are the skin and the respiratory system, butneurological damage has also been reported. Some people feelthat we should have a right to fragrance-free air as well astobacco-smoke-free air. There are also concerns about the impactof synthetic chemicals on the environment, as they do notnecessarily break down easily. Of course, there is a role for fragrance. The power ofaromatherapy oils to heal and lift the spirits is welldocumented, but the widespread use of synthetic fragrancesshould be seen as pollution of both our bodies and ourenvironments. About the author:Jane Thurnell-Read is a writer and researcher on health, stress,allergies, happiness and alternative medicine. More of herwriting can be viewed at http://www.healthandgoodness.com
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