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Hazardous Odor?

post #1 of 20
11/11/05 at 8:34pm
Thread Starter 
This is my first post on Basenotes.net, but it's not exactly a pleasant one. I'm wondering if any of you do believe that synthetic EdPs, EdTs, or after-shaves have any chemicals that might harm us.

I do like scents, but if it's going to cost me my health and possibly give me cancer, I guess I'll have to stick buying from houses like Creed that only use natural materials (that is right, right?).

Thanks for your time.
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post #2 of 20
11/11/05 at 9:08pm
Saponifiable,

As for what you're talking about, INO, that's a part of marketing one-brand-over-others pushy kind of promotion and all about marketing wars. Like stuff about atypical pneumonia, cattle rabies in Europe, birds flu and that kind of stuff, but less political since its smaller (socially) fragrance field.
Companies adore, I guess, to scatter and spread various public fears bashing each other on the market.

Really, A LOT of stuff around that we use contains hazardous chemicals (air, food, water ...).
AFAIK, it's been a long time since a substantial part of fragrance ingredients became chemicals (as opposed to natural essences). That's a part of industrial way of production.

I'm not buying "Creed uses all natural materials". That's marketing BS, IMO.
I do think all-natural stuff exists but more in a way of attars from Arabian East, priced sky high.
Indian oils are nit that pricy, but you have to do the composition yourself since it's mono-scent stuff.

Regards, Odor.
Not that hazardous, really ;D
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post #3 of 20
11/11/05 at 9:13pm
I am laughing because we live in a society (primarily the United States) where you might be sued for any little ol' thing. Perfume companies, while their goal is primarily to make money, must maintain standards of public safety. Each chemical used in a fragrance must be tested for toxicity before it can be used...and eventually unleashed on society. Please refer to Chandler Burr's book about Luca Turin for information on perfume companies (and oh, so much more) called "The Emperor of Scent". However, this doesn't guarantee that you won't be allergic to a chemical in a fragrance. I personally am allergic to one of the ingredients in "Wings". But, due to the immense numbers of different chemicals used in perfumery, allergies are bound to happen and aren't necessarily the perfume companies faults.

NO worries mate!

Kelley
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post #4 of 20
11/11/05 at 9:23pm
And, another thing. Being an artist, I wouldn't want to paint only using two colors or even five. I want access to all of them. I think it's the same with perfumery. I would never want to limit myself to using only all natural ingredients. I mean, what is that anyway? All smell is a chemical reaction. Does it matter if it comes from a test tube or from a flower? In fact, it's probably the same molecule, it is just less expensive to manufacture it than process the rose petals. The way I understand it (and I must add, I don't really understand chemistry at all!) using the word "natural" may or may not be the case. Let's say the chemist uses a natural substance and removes or adds a molecule to change the smell. It's still natural right? Many of the created substances perfumers are using now are wonderful and complicated and are making perfumery a much richer business.

Just a thought...
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post #5 of 20
11/11/05 at 11:27pm
Check out Betty Bridges' site:

http://www.fpinva.org/

The IHT article 'Perfume's toxic spritz?':

http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/04/27/news/perfume.php

The Greenpeace press release with a link to the PDF version of the report is here:

http://eu.greenpeace.org/downloads/c...rfumes-Eng.pdf

And, of course, the Basenotes archives:

http://www.basenotes.net/community/Y...num=1117952294

http://www.basenotes.net/community/Y...num=1120636488

http://www.basenotes.net/community/Y...num=1128678860
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post #6 of 20
11/12/05 at 2:37am
Natural [ch8800] Safe. For example, a fragrance containing natural bergamot essential oil, is dangerous to use during summer as bergaptene reacts with the ultraviolet light to become toxic.
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post #7 of 20
11/12/05 at 2:58am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wedge

Natural [ch8800] Safe. For example, a fragrance containing natural bergamot essential oil, is dangerous to use during summer as bergaptene reacts with the ultraviolet light to become toxic.

Same for basil!
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post #8 of 20
11/12/05 at 8:58am
Here is another article about health and fragrance: http://www.jrussellshealth.com/chemsensperf.html
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post #9 of 20
11/12/05 at 9:34am
Quote:
Originally Posted by paintrman

I am laughing because we live in a society (primarily the United States) where you might be sued for any little ol' thing. Â*Perfume companies, while their goal is primarily to make money, must maintain standards of public safety. Â*Each chemical used in a fragrance must be tested for toxicity before it can be used...and eventually unleashed on society. Â*

This brings me to a subject I've been wondering about, namely ... testing. How are perfumes tested? That is, are they tested on animals? Anyone know anything about this?
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post #10 of 20
11/12/05 at 9:55am
If synthetic ingredients do cause illness I would be doomed due to CdG's Odeur 71. Thanks to everyone else that gave all the links to information and who shared their own knowledge (I had no idea basil became toxic).
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post #11 of 20
11/12/05 at 12:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Twitchly

This brings me to a subject I've been wondering about, namely ... testing. How are perfumes tested? That is, are they tested on animals? Anyone know anything about this?

My guess would be that the components used in perfumery are GRAS (generally recognized as safe) and wouldn't require testing. Just a thought.
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post #12 of 20
11/12/05 at 12:24pm
There are always alarmists that say the air will poison you and that what we eat is toxic (ex. sugar). Well, anything to excess can be bad for your health. When it comes to the articles above, these are the people that are storing food in case aliens land or there is chemical warfare. Look, I read the articles and there is a seed of truth to them. Yes, Fragrace companies are secretive about the chemicals they use but it's because they don't want to be ripped off by other companies. You know they can't afford to be sued! Think about it. If they used a toxic chemical, you don't think someone would have already gone to court? They would lose millions of dollars.

Each firm tests each chemical for toxicity! They have to. They can't take the risk.
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post #13 of 20
11/12/05 at 10:53pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by paintrman

these are the people that are storing food in case aliens land or there is chemical warfare.

We're talking scientific data here, not cute little opinions of naive-beyond-belief citizens:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...&DB=pubmed
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post #14 of 20
11/13/05 at 1:52am
Guys,

It's not my intention to add more fuel to this always-sensitive topic, but cosmetics are EXEMPT from FDA testing requirements, and known toxic substances are routinely used in their production!

Here it is from the horse's own mouth:
"FDA cannot require companies to do safety testing of their cosmetic products before marketing." [source: FDA Office of Cosmetics and Colors, Feb. 3, 1995]

Apparently, Only 11 percent of the 10,500 ingredients FDA has documented in products have been assessed for safety by the cosmetic industry's review panel. [source: EWG]

So what are we to do?

Well, here are two things that can be done:

1. Spray the fragrance on your clothes: this will (to a large degree) eliminate the dangerous toxic elements from being absorbed through your skin.
2. If you insist on placing the juice on your skin, consider (pure) Middle-Eastern perfumes from reputable sources which have been used, and treasured for centuries (they do not contain any of the toxic synthetic ingredients).

By the way, that was an excellent topic for your first post. [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

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post #15 of 20
11/13/05 at 10:33am
Everything
Everything... gives you cancer
Everything
Everything... gives you cancer
There's no cure.
There's no answer.
Everything... gives you cancer


"Cancer"
-Joe Jackson
"Night and Day" 1982
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post #16 of 20
11/13/05 at 11:15am
Quote:
(they do not contain any of the toxic synthetic ingredients).

Yeah, much better since all their toxic ingredients are non-synthetic.
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post #17 of 20
11/13/05 at 11:27am
Oooops, my bad!
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post #18 of 20
11/13/05 at 11:35am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by paintrman

And, another thing. Â*Being an artist, I wouldn't want to paint only using two colors or even five. Â*I want access to all of them. Â*I think it's the same with perfumery. Â*I would never want to limit myself to using only all natural ingredients. Â*I mean, what is that anyway?

You bring up a good and valid point, but keep in mind also that for years, people have used lead-based paints and had no idea that it wasn't the greatest thing in the world for them. It could possibly be the same way for us except only with perfume, and we really don't have a good idea of what's inside because of the protection of trade secrets for fragrances. But who really knows?
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post #19 of 20
11/13/05 at 1:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by dcampen

Quote:
(they do not contain any of the toxic synthetic ingredients).

Yeah, much better since all their toxic ingredients are non-synthetic.

Nice 'play' on the wording. Though I'm sure everyone here understands that it really is a question of scale of their usage, and prior history.
Water is toxic when taken in large amounts, but that's not the point of this thread.
The point that is being made here is that the majority of the synthetic ingredients in fragrances have not been tested for their safety. And, some which have been already determined to be toxic, are continue to be used (see: Â*Phthalates).
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post #20 of 20
11/13/05 at 3:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Griff

Everything
Everything... gives you cancer
Everything
Everything... gives you cancer
There's no cure.
There's no answer.
Everything... gives you cancer


"Cancer"
-Joe Jackson
"Night and Day" 1982


Woohoo!! another Joe Jackson fan!!
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