Death by Perfume: The Toxic Nature of Popular Fragrances (Part 2)

Do you crave that newest designer perfume? Before you reach for your plastic, remind yourself: most fragrances on the market today contain synthetic ingredients that were never tested for safety on humans.

Here are just few toxic synthetic fragrance ingredients used in hundreds of bestselling perfumes and other heavily scented beauty products.

Cucumber-smelling chemical Calone 1951, used to create a fresh “ozone” and marine scent in bestselling fragrances such as Eau D’Issey by Issey Miyake and Escape by Calvin Klein as well as Dove Sensitive Essentials Cleansing Cloths, is called methylbenzodioxepinone. Pfizer synthesized it in 1966, and so far, this chemical has never been assessed for safety in cosmetics by any industry panel.

Hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde (also known as Lyral) is the most allergic fragrance chemical currently used. It caused contact dermatitis and eczema in 79 percent of participants of the recent study. Lyral irritated the skin of even healthy people that were not prone to allergies. Lyral is currently listed as an allergen but is contained in many of the popular fragrances as well as every second deodorant on the drugstore shelf. Lyral is currently listed as an allergen but is contained in many of the popular fragrances as White Musk (The Body Shop), Red Door, Green Tea (Elizabeth Arden), Opium (Yves Saint Laurent), Black (Kenneth Cole) and in every second deodorant on the market.

Benzyl alcohol, an aromatic substance naturally found in essential oils including jasmine, hyacinth, and ylang-ylang, may cause various toxic effects including respiratory failure, very low blood pressure, convulsions, and paralysis. However, to cause real damage it has to be used in high concentrations. Benzyl alcohol was used up to 0.9 percent as a preservative in neonatal medications but after sixteen newborns died of acute toxic poisoning in 1982 benzyl alcohol was banned for use as a preservative.

As a fragrance ingredient and possibly a preservative benzyl alcohol is currently used in such popular products as Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream and Lotion (also contain benzyl acetate), Olay Regenerist Daily Regenerating Serum, Old Spice Original aftershave and cologne. It’s also used in Pampers Sensitive Baby Wipes and Aveeno Baby Daily Moisture Lotion.

Benzyl acetate, jasmine-flavored relative to benzyl alcohol, was generally recognized as safe by the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA) expert panel. However, a 2002 study conducted at the University Of Louisville, Kentucky, suggested that this synthetic fragrance compound may be carcinogenic in rodent studies causing liver and bladder cancer. This study caused quite a stir in the scientific community but so far benzyl acetate sits happily in drugstore aisles, listed among ingredients in such bestselling products as award-winning moisturizer Hope in a Jar by Philosophy, Volum’Eyes mascara by Rimmel and all Olay Regenerist anti-aging products.

Butylphenyl methylpropional (also known as Lilial or lilialdehyde) is a widely used fragrance compound found naturally in the essential oil of chamomile. Allergic contact dermatitis to the fragrance material lilial was first reported and well studied in 1983. Currently this synthetic fragrance is used in both elite fragrances (Agent Provocateur Eau De Parfum, philosophy inner grace) and drugstore shampoos, deodorants, tanning lotions and hairstyling products.

Almond-smelling benzaldehyde can be easily derived from apricot, cherry, laurel leaves, and peach seeds, but now is most often made from toluene. Benzaldehyde was proven as a strong contact irritant back in 1977, but remains one of the most frequently used fragrance components. Its highest reported concentration of use was 0.5% in perfumes. Benzaldehyde is generally regarded as a safe food additive in the United States and is accepted as a flavoring substance in the European Union. Benzaldehyde rapidly metabolizes to benzoic acid in the skin, absorbed through skin and by the lungs, and distributed to all the organs. In 2006 fragrance manufacturers via Cosmetic Ingredient Review assured that benzaldehyde is not a carcinogenic, reproductive or developmental toxicant at concentrations used in cosmetics. However, a new 2007 study determined that “exposure to aldehydes represents potential risks to human and animal health.”

Scientists from ChemRisk in Colorado found that benzaldehyde induced formation of stable DNA-protein cross-links in cultured human lymphoma cells. In plain English, benzaldehyde promoted cancerous cell growth.

Today, synthetic benzaldehyde is contained in many popular shaving foams, deodorants and moisturizers (Lubriderm Intense Skin Repair Body Cream) and even baby products (Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief Creamy Wash and Soothing Relief Moisture Cream). As for me, I don’t find this information soothing. Do you?

In people whose immune system is constantly alert “thanks” to large amounts of synthetic additives they consume with food, drinks and cosmetics, every additional chemical triggers a much more acute reaction than in people whose bodies aren’t overly sensitized. But it’s really hard to get rid of fragrances today. A pretty scent helps sell otherwise no-nonsense laundry detergents, dishwashing liquids and baby wet wipes. Celebrity fragrances are churned out overnight. For many fashion designers couture collections serve only to help sell fragrances, shower gels, and body lotions.

Where does it leave us, consumers? You can explore the whole new breed of all-natural fragrances that are much more sophisticated than pure patchouli oil. There are many all-natural exquisite blends that may cost a bit more than your average department store brand but will last much longer too, without exposing you to a slew of potential allergens or even worse, carcinogens.