Dangers of Synthetic Scents Include Cancer, Asthma, Kidney Damage and More

The dangers of synthetic scents aren’t always evident, but we have the science to prove that everyone, regardless of age or health, needs to make avoiding fake fragrances a major priority.
A National Academy of Sciences points out some vital facts: About 95 percent of chemicals used in synthetic fragrances are derived from petroleum (crude oil). They include benzene derivatives (carcinogenic), aldehydes, toluene, and many other known toxic chemicals linked to cancer, birth defects, central nervous system disorders, and allergic reactions. (1) Unfortunately, 30 years later, toxic ingredients continue to turn up in products we use and breathe in on a daily basis. Some of the worst toxic ingredients used in lotions, shampoos, laundry detergents, cleaning products and so much more include synthetic scents, often listed as on labels as the elusive “fragrance.” And many on the list are known or suspected endocrine disruptors, compounds that tinker with hormonal health that can trigger weight gain and even set you up for diseases decades down the line.

Avoiding the dangers of synthetic scents is crucial. It’s something I need you to share with your family and friends. When a company puts “fragrance” on the label, don’t be tricked. This is a catch-all term actually can stand for thousands of different ingredients (literally, at least 3,000). And when you use a product containing “fragrance” or “perfume,” all of those mysterious ingredients are absorbed right into your bloodstream. These ingredients are predominantly made from chemicals and are just outright toxic for your health in so many ways.

While our allure with natural fragrances is baked into our DNA as a way to find food and mates, synthetic fragrances are completely unnecessary and are making us super sick in our modern-day world. Sure, drawing fragrances from nature has a long history in religious ceremonies, burials and a way to increase libido. But in this article, we’re focusing on the man-made fragrances that started emerging in the late 1800s. The dangers of these synthetic scents not only include short-term symptoms like allergies and respiratory distress, but also headaches, dizziness, nausea, and brain fog. We’ll get into other, less obvious side (but super serious) side effects in a bit. (2) This serves as evidence that regardless of your age or health status, it is imperative that you avoid fragrance chemicals.

What Are Synthetic Scents?

Synthetic scents or “fragrance” represent an unidentified mixture of ingredients including carcinogens, allergens, respiratory irritants, endocrine disruptors, neurotoxic chemicals, and environmental toxicants. These artificial scents can be found in all kinds of body care and cosmetic products, as well as air fresheners, cleaning materials, and laundry detergents. According to the Campaign for Safer Cosmetics, hair products are especially problematic. More than 95 percent of shampoos, conditioners, and styling products contain fragrance as an ingredient. (3) I’m sure you’ll agree that we all want our hair to smell good, but we could do without the use of toxic ingredients.

Research conducted by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics found an average of 14 chemicals in 17 name brand fragrance products. But it doesn’t stop there — none of these chemicals were actually listed on the label. (4)

In general, there at least 3,000 ingredients that could possibly be used to form a product’s scent. That’s according to the online “Transparency List” put out by the International Fragrance Association, an industry trade group. (5) I encourage you to take a look at the following list, derived from the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, to see just how many fragrance chemicals we’re possibly exposed to every day.

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