Dangers of Synthetic Fragrance And 6 Studies to Back It Up

The intention for writing this article is to inform you about the dangers of synthetic fragrances and dyes because we feel it is important for you to know. Making good choices for your health starts with the information you need to be informed about making healthy choices. That is to say, this article is not written in order to persuade you to make a purchase; it’s to help you understand the dangers of these seemingly innocuous chemicals and empower you with the knowledge you need to make a better choice!

WHAT ARE SYNTHETIC FRAGRANCES? 

“Synthetic fragrance” refers to a mixture of chemicals that are artificially made in a laboratory which are often used in perfumes, air fresheners, cleaning products, personal hygiene products, and makeups.

What Are Synthetic Fragrance Oils?

“Fragrance oils” are another term for “synthetic fragrances.”

WHAT ARE SYNTHETIC FRAGRANCES MADE OF?

Synthetic fragrances are made using a combination of chemicals, including carcinogens like styrene, and naphthalene, and endocrine disruptors like di-isononyl phthalate and oxybenzone. This is legal and accepted by a multitude of regulations, including The International Fragrance Association (IFRA) which self-regulates the fragrance industry. (So just because something is approved by IFRA doesn’t mean it’s a safe product.)

The truth is that fragrances can be made of up somewhere between 2000 and 4000 different chemicals; far too many to expect an average consumer to memorize and understand. And product manufacturers depend on consumers who don’t know that it’s legal for harmful items to be sold.

Manufacturers and marketers rely on spinning their information (ie: misleading consumers) to make their products appear better than they really are. This is called “greenwashing,” “cleanwashing,” or “ecowashing,” when a company essentially paints its brand and products in such a way as to trick people into thinking they are better for health and the environment than they actually are.

A great quote from a man inside the industry, Douglas Little, who is the CEO and founder of Heretic Parfum explains: “…There’s a lot of smoke and mirrors around the green washing of the clean movement. For example, a lot of companies market their fragrances by saying they don’t use phthalates or parabens, but truth be told, phthalates haven’t been used in fragrances for a long time.”

Notice how he points out that phthalates are no longer common in the fragrance industry, and yet it’s one of the things that consumers and information providers (including us!) consistently warn against. Until we are actually granted access to full ingredient lists, it’s safer to assume there could be phthalates in any given fragrance; after all, even if there aren’t, there are still 2000-4000 other mystery chemicals in there.

Fragrances also usually contain chemicals derived from petroleum and petroleum by-products as well as natural gas. They may also contain other harmful ingredients, like VOCs, but unless you work for the company that makes the scent you’ll never know; fragrances are considered proprietary formulations, and manufacturers are not required to list the full ingredients.

HOW ARE SYNTHETIC FRAGRANCE OILS MADE?

Synthetic fragrances, fragrance oils, parfums, etc are made in a laboratory, which is not an inherently bad thing. It’s important not to immediately think synthetic = lab = bad. There is so much nuance in science!

However, some of the chemicals the fragrances are made of are typically harmful or not studied enough to be known if they are harmful.

Fragrances are generally made of scented oils, resins, CO2 extracts, absolutes, isolates, esters, and many other of these types of components which a) make up the scent/fragrance that you smell b) make it stable to be kept in a container or product (like lotion or surface cleaner, for example), and c) make the smell last longer once it’s been sprayed or exposed to the air.

In theory, this could all be done both synthetically and safely. In practice, we aren’t typically given enough information to know if the synthetic chemicals are, indeed, safe.

Find out what stain removers to use for your clothing and more.

ARE ALL SYNTHETIC FRAGRANCES BAD?

In short: we don’t know.

Many companies now advertise their scents as “safe synthetic,” but all that means right now is that the chemicals being used haven’t been tested to show that they cause problems, not that they are safe.

Many “safe synthetic” chemicals have not been tested for human or environmental safety at all. This doesn’t mean they are safe, it means ignorance is bliss (and cause for plausible deniability from those who use them in products).

Unfortunately, because of the way legislation is currently set up, there is actually very little, if any, required testing for many synthetic fragrance ingredients. Furthermore, the cost of testing a single ingredient on its own can cost about $1million, making it impossible for smaller companies who actually want to do the research to be able to, and making larger companies not want to spend money on unrequired testing.

Plus, if the chemicals are mixed, there could be reactions that change the safety of the final product, even if each chemical has been tested on its own. The truth is we just don’t know.

There are three general groups for synthetic chemicals:

• Non-natural synthetic fragrance: what we typically think of when discussing synthetic fragrances, man-made, artificial scent molecules made with petroleum in a lab.
• Nature-identical synthetic fragrance: chemicals made in a lab, perhaps using petroleum, to create scent molecules identical to those found in nature.
• Natural isolates: using chemicals to draw the naturally occurring scent molecules from a natural source.

While you’d think the second and third options would be harmless or close to it, it’s still not clear from the research (or lack thereof) that they are entirely safe. They may be less harmful to health than an entirely synthetic fragrance, but there isn’t enough data to make a strong claim one way or another just yet.

For that reason, it’s best to avoid any and all synthetic chemicals, unless you are able to find a company that adequately explains what they use for their fragrances and you can find out that all the ingredients are recognized as non-toxic by an outside regulatory body.

Misleading in Labels: Unscented

To the average person, unscented will mean “does not have any scent,” where “scent” means “added smell chemicals.” To manufacturers, labelers, and the law, “unscented means” “does not have any scent” where “scent” means “any detectable smell,” which means that manufacturers may have added a counteractive fragrance to cancel out any inherent scent from the other ingredients in the product.

Therefore, “unscented¨ does not mean “fragrance-free.” It could be fragrance-free, but you must look closely at the ingredients to determine if any scent-canceling fragrances have been added or if the product is inherently unscented.

That’s why when you see “fragrance,” “parfum,” or even “natural fragrance” or “unscented,” on an ingredient label, you need to stop and consider:

• Does this company have an EWG VERIFIED® mark?
• Does this company have a MADE SAFE® certification?
• Does the product packaging or website fully explain what their fragrances are made of? Since listing ingredients in a fragrance can be lengthy, some companies may opt to explain their fragrance’s composition elsewhere and simply call it “fragrance” in the ingredients list.
• Does the company’s website explain its ethics and values clearly and fully? Do their claims match the types of things they sell? Do they explain where they source ingredients from, and does it match the values they claim? You can tell a lot by how transparent a company is (or isn’t) on its website. A more ethical company will be proud to tell you about where they get their ingredients from and all the ingredients they use in their products.

Find out how to get rid of all kinds of scents stuck in your clothes in our article.

DANGERS OF SYNTHETIC FRAGRANCES

Some diseases and health problems that may be linked to synthetic fragrances: 

1. Respiratory issues: Synthetic fragrances have been linked to respiratory problems, including allergies, asthma, and other chronic respiratory diseases, due to the chemicals present in them.
2. Skin irritation: For some people, it can cause skin irritation leading to itching, redness, and other forms of dermatitis. 
3. Allergic reactions: People sensitive to certain chemicals can experience allergic reactions like hives and rashes on the skin, headaches, and even respiratory problems. These issues have been attributed to the presence of compounds such as benzene, toluene, xylene, and formaldehyde, which are commonly found in synthetic fragrances and dyes. 
4. Hormonal disruption: Phthalates and other chemicals in synthetic fragrances can interfere with the hormones in the body, leading to hormonal imbalances, reproductive system problems, and other related health problems. 
5. Headaches and migraines: Many people report experiencing headaches and migraines triggered by exposure to synthetic fragrances. Next time you get a headache or migraine, take a moment and think about what lotion or soaps you used in the day, who were you around and do they use heavy perfumes, were you around air fresheners or cleaning products, or if you recently switched to a new shampoo or personal care product. There could be a link.
6. Cancer: Cancer is too prevalent these days and anything to avoid it should be welcomed. Synthetic fragrances have been classified as potential human carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. 

Learn about risks associated with stain removers in our article.

STUDIES TO BACK UP THE CLAIMS 

There have been several studies conducted on the potential health risks associated with exposure to synthetic fragrances. Here are five studies on the dangers of the exposure to fragrance: 

1. This study associated with the Department of Infrastructure Engineering in Australia found that fragrances in workplaces and environments like hotel rooms were likely to cause an adverse reaction in about 32% of the sampled population, which even led to asthma attacks and health issues to pervasive it led to missed work days and job loss.
2. This study in the National Library of Medicine suggests the following: “The negative impact of fragrance chemicals on human health includes cutaneous, respiratory, and systemic effects (e.g., headaches, asthma attacks, breathing difficulties, cardiovascular and neurological problems) and distress in workplaces.”
3. A study in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that exposure to fragrance compounds could cause respiratory, dermatological, and neurological symptoms in some individuals.
4. A study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine found that exposure to fragrance chemicals was associated with an increased prevalence of migraine headaches, allergies, and asthma symptoms in a group of female nursing students. 
5. A study published in the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health found that one common synthetic fragrance ingredient, phthalates, could potentially cause endocrine disruption, leading to health risks for pregnant women and children. 
6. A study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives found that exposure to synthetic musks, commonly used in fragrances, may be linked to potential toxic effects in humans, such as liver toxicity and breast cancer cell growth. 
7. A 2019 review article published in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology found that synthetic fragrances in cosmetics and other personal care products can cause skin sensitization, irritant dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, and aging of the skin. 

Overall, while more research is needed to fully understand the health risks associated with synthetic fragrances, these studies suggest that there may be potential negative effects on respiratory, neurological, and dermatological health, as well as potential endocrine disruption and carcinogenicity. It is always best to choose fragrance-free or naturally scented products to minimize exposure to synthetic fragrances.

IN SUMMARY 

Overall, it is recommended to choose fragrance-free and dye-free products wherever possible. Small amounts of harmful chemicals on their own may not be enough to cause health issues, but repeated exposure throughout the day from dozens of different products, every day, can lead to adverse health.

People with sensitivities to fragrance can suffer from health issues with even small amounts of fragrance. Even 100% natural fragrances can cause reactions in people with sensitivities. If you are sensitive to fragrance, you should choose “fragrance-free” products. “Unscented” products may still contain fragrances which are designed to cancel out the smell of the other ingredients.

Synthetic fragrances are a mystery because manufacturers are not required to disclose the ingredient list, which can be made up of between 2,000 and 4,000 different chemicals.

It is important to note that the research on the potential health effects of synthetic fragrances is ongoing, and more studies are needed to confirm their links to the above-mentioned diseases. However, considering these potential risks, it is recommended to use fragrance-free or natural alternatives whenever possible to reduce exposure to synthetic fragrances. Now that you know, you can do better.  

Find home and personal care products that are fragrance-free or that only use natural fragrances right here on Tangie!