"If in doubt, Mariadoc, always follow your nose" ~ Gandalf.
Alright old man, you and the Toucan can step aside for a minute and allow me an attempt to undo many years of neurotoxic brainwashing.
We all poop, and it usually doesn't smell that great. As a result, an entire industry has been developed to cover up our "people smells". From scented candles, parfum plug-ins, fragrant oil sticks, body sprays, Fabreeze, to all of the scents in lipsticks, foundation, soaps, shampoos, detergents, and deodorants; scents are something we cannot seem to avoid. Women have remarked to me many times about how important it is to them that a definitive selling point is how a product "smells". I too am guilty of "following my nose", and though I am not allergic to any fragrance, as the years have gone on I have drifted further and further away from allow fragrance to determine the way I drive my dime.
The term "fragrance" or "parfum" on a cosmetic ingredients list can represent a complex mixture of dozens of chemicals. Some 3,000 chemicals are used as fragrances and are the ingredients in perfumes, colognes and are used in nearly every type of personal care product. Even products marketed as "fragrance-free" or "unscented" may in fact contain fragrance along with a masking agent that prevents the brain from perceiving odour 1. Next time you are at your local Lablaws, pick up a small container of "Tide Free", then take it to the "Organics" section and unscrew the cap on a bottle of "Nature Clean Unscented Laundry Liquid". You will be shocked at what you smell, the difference is truly overwhelming.
Of the thousands of chemicals used in fragrances, most have not been tested for toxicity, alone or in combination. Many of these unlisted ingredients are irritants and can trigger allergies, migraines, and asthma 1. The reason why none of these chemical fragrances have been tested is because scents are patented. These fragrances sell products - it's all about "brand recognition". Chemists are paid top dollar to come up with these fragrant chemical concoctions and they are closely guarded trade secrets. Therefore, the companies are not required provide the chemical makeup of any of their fragrances to the public. It sounds like a conspiracy only a granola muncher could come up with. Unfortunately, it's true.
People with multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS) or environmentally linked illnesses are particularly vulnerable to aromatic chemicals, with fragrances implicated both in development of the condition and triggering symptoms. U.K. researchers have reported that "perfume" is the second most common cause of allergy in patients at dermatology clinics 1.
Synthetic musks used in fragrances are of particular concern from an ecological perspective. Several musk compounds are persistent in the environment and bioaccumulate in the fatty tissue of aquatic organisms. What builds up in fatty tissue of one can build up in another. Measureable levels of synthetic musks are found in fish in the Great Lakes and the levels in sediment are increasing. Environment Canada has categorized several synthetic musks as persistent, bioaccumulative, and/or toxic, and others as human health priorities 1.
The buck doesn't stop with synthetic fragrance, there are also "fragrance enhancers" which are used to enhance the performance of the parfuming agents. For example:
Diethyl phthalate (pronounced tha-late) (DEP) is a clear substance, liquid at room temperature, and is only a slightly more dense than liquid water. It has a faint, disagreeable odor and can be transferred from the plastics that contain it 2. Phthalate substances are added to plastics to increase their flexibility, transparency, durability, and longevity 3. They are widely used in cosmetics to make the scent linger. Phthalates are choice ingredients in cosmetics because they are cheap and versatile. However, the European Commission on Endocrine Disruption has listed DEP as a Category 1 priority substance, based on evidence that it interferes with hormone function 1.
Phthalates as Endocrine Disruptors:
Endocrine disruption refers to a compound which interferes with hormones in the human body.
"In a study published in 2005, lead investigator Dr. Shanna Swan reported in the "Swan Study" that human phthalate exposure during pregnancy results in decreased anogenital distance among baby boys. In this study, phthalate metabolites were measured in urine samples collected from the pregnant women having given birth to the infants. After birth, the genital features and anogenital distance of these women's babies were measured and correlated with the residue levels in the mother's urine. Boys born to mothers with the highest levels of phthalates were 7 times more likely to have a shortened anogenital distance 3".
Phthalates and Breast Cancer:
"Phthalate parent compounds and/or their metabolites have recently been implicated as a cause of breast cancer. Women may be at higher risk for potential adverse health effects of phthalates due to increased cosmetic use. Diethyl phthalate and dibutyl phthalate are especially ubiquitous in cosmetics and personal care products. According to in vivo and observational studies by Davis et al. (1994) and Lopez-Carillo et al. (2010), there is an association between phthalate exposure and endocrine disruption leading to development of breast cancer. Furthermore, it has been well-documented that endocrine disruptors such as phthalates can be additive, so even very small amounts can interact with other chemicals to have cumulative and adverse "cocktail effects".
A 2010 study published in Environmental Health Perspectives for the first time implicated that the exposure to diethyl phthalates (DEP), a parent compound of the monoethyl phthalate (MEP) metabolite, may be associated with increased risk of breast cancer. The case-control study was age matched to 233 BC cases residing in northern Mexico. The phthalate level was determined in urine samples collected pretreatment from the cases. This is only a preliminary finding therefore additional research is required. It is interesting to note that exposure to the parent phthalate, butylbenzyl phthalate (BBzP) of the monobenzyl phthalate (MBzP) metabolite showed a negative association with breast cancer (Odds ratio=0.46, p value for trend, p<.008). This finding may be associated with the demethylation of the estrogen receptor complex in breast cancer cells of this particular phthalate resulting in a negative effect 3 ".
Phthalates, Diabetes, and Neurological Disorders:
"A 2012 study found that people with elevated phthalate levels had roughly twice the risk of developing diabetes compared with those with lower levels. They also found that phthalates were associated with disrupted insulin production 3 ".
"In 2009, South Korean scientists reported findings of a statistically significant correlation between urine phthalate concentrations in children and symptoms of ADHD. Although more research is needed in order to conclusively determine the relationship between phthalate and ADHD, the article suggests that consumers should be aware of its potential effects on behavior and neurological disorder. The findings were replicated in The Mount Sinai Children's Environmental Health Study, which enrolled a multiethnic prenatal population in New York City between 1998 and 2002 (n= 404), published in Jan 2010. There was an association of prenatal phthalate exposure with offspring behavior and executive functioning at ages 4 to 9 years. A study published in 2011 followed the children of 319 women who gave birth between 1999 and 2006 to evaluate possible associations between prenatal exposures to phthalates and possible adverse effects in development at age 3 years. The results suggested that prenatal exposure to phthalates had affected the children's mental, motor and behavioral development during the preschool years. The senior epidemiologist on the study stated, "The results are concerning since increasing exposures from the lowest 25% to the highest 25% among the women in our study was associated with a doubling or tripling in the odds of motor and/or behavioral problems in the children 3 ."
In addition, Health Canada notes evidence suggesting that exposure to phthalates may cause liver and kidney failure in young children when products containing phthalates are sucked or chewed for extended periods. DEP is listed as a Priority and Toxic Pollutant under the U.S. Clean Water Act, based on evidence that it can be toxic to wildlife and the environment 1.
Laboratory analysis of top-selling colognes and perfumes identified an average of 14 chemicals per product not listed on the label, including multiple chemicals that can trigger allergic reactions or interfere with hormone function. To learn more, read a recent report by Environmental Defence. 1
Environment Canada is currently assessing one synthetic musk (moskene) under the government's Chemicals Management Plan and has flagged several others for future assessment. Health Canada recently announced regulations banning six phthalates in children's toys, including DEP; but, the use of DEP in cosmetics remains unrestricted. International regulations are stronger when it comes to the regulation of Phthalates The European Union restricts the use of many fragrance ingredients, including two common musks (nitromusks) and requires warning labels on products if they contain any of 26 allergens commonly used as cosmetic fragrances.
It also bears noting that Phthalates are also commonly used in sex toys 3. Sex toys with a "jelly rubber" contain Phthalates, unless the company exclusively says that they do not use the compounds.
Not all "fragrances" are bad, or unnatural; however, it is usually best to avoid what you are uncertain of. If you are like me, and want to know more about what is in a product, please contact the company directly and ask. Out of the four companies I have contacted regarding the use of fragrances and chemicals in their products, only ONE replied to me; which is unfortunate (more posts to come about those correspondences). Do not be fooled by the "green" packaging or the use of statements like, "Natural Fragrance" or "Essential Oils". Just because the label reads "essential oils" remember that oil can be manufactured and it does not necessarily mean that they are purely organic in origin.
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