There are a lot of consumer items that make fragrance an important element, as most buyers decide in favor of a product because they like its pleasant smell. However, even if a personal care product or a household cleaning material is being marketed as organic, have awareness that their long lasting fragrance is not due to their natural properties; but rather, comes from the cocktail of chemicals combined in such a way that will make the product emit a desirable smell.
While many are misled into believing that the scent comes from organic essential oils, concerned consumer groups are raising consumer awareness that many personal care products, pharmaceuticals and home cleaning materials do not properly disclose the chemical composition of the fragrance attributed to their products. The danger posed to consumers is that some of the chemicals used have established links to major health problems like cancer, respiratory and reproductive toxicity, which usually starts out as allergens causing skin sensitivity. Apparently, there should be stronger regulations and implementation of protocols for transparency.
Why are Fragrance Chemicals Considered Harmful
Personal care products like soaps, shampoos, body washes, sun screen, perfumes and similar items carry only the type of fragrance concoction without giving full details of the chemicals used to create the scent.
The problem with fragrance chemicals is that many of them contain phthalates. While phthalates have been linked by previous studies to numerous health disorders, the Food and Drug Administration published information stating that the kind of chemical compound containing phthalate, allowed for use as fragrance chemicals are diethylphthalate (DEP).
The phthalates considered harmful are dibutylphthalate (DBP) and dimethylphthalate (DMP). DBP are used plasticizer mainly to reduce cracking or make a product like nail polish, less brittle. DMP on the other hand are used in hair sprays to reduce the appearance of stiffness by creating a flexible film or coating on the hair.
Health Risks of Frequent and Constant Exposure to Fragrance Chemicals
As most consumer products use fragrance chemicals, constant and continuing exposure to chemicals with phthalates can cause headaches; poor memory, irritations in the eye, nose, and throat, nausea and other neurotoxic symptoms or respiratory problems as they can aggravate sinus conditions or trigger asthma attacks/
Fragramces created by Italian perfume manufacturer Xerjoff are proprietary blends of developed in the company’s own laboratory. Inaddition to the raw ingredients from which the scents are extracted, the company uses natural preservatives, stabilizers and UV-absorbers.Only recently, the company launched a new line of perfume called Erba Pura (Pure Herb)