Do you smell it and, by magic, does the aroma drive you to relive emotions and recall past experiences? Yes, can aroma change your mood or arouse feelings? as olfactory messages are sent to areas of the brain associated with emotion, memory and creativity.
Smelling good, with the help of perfumes and colognes, has been part of civilized life for several centuries. And for a long time, the pleasant fragrance raw materials were only flowers, roots and the essential oils extracted from some wild animals. "Today, even at the lowest cost, these natural aromas have been increasingly replaced by synthetic compounds," explains chemistry Carla Moskviak.
The problem is that many of these chemicals used to produce wonderful smells are potentially harmful to health. Studies by the NGO Animal Defense and also by Greenpeace have revealed over the last few years some of these toxic dangers contained in perfume bottles.
How is a perfume made?
Under chemical analysis, a perfume can have up to 500 components, which makes it a very complex blend. But there are three basic components: the essence (or essential oil), the thinner and the fixative, explains chemistry Carla Moskviak.
Essences are the substances that generate the perfume and can be natural or, in most cases, synthetic. The diluents, which guarantee the perfume the right concentration of the aroma, are usually alcohol (ethanol) and water. Fixatives are substances that are used to preserve aroma longer.
Chemically speaking, the fragrances found in detergents, fabric softeners and cleaners are often the same as those used in perfume manufacturing.
Danger in the bottle
Many of the? Ingredients? used by the perfumery industry can act as neurotoxins, meaning they have toxic effects on the nervous system and the brain. Recent studies show that the accumulation of these toxins over time can result in inflammation that precedes severe brain damage such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
Other components of fragrances can disrupt the natural hormonal balance, causing emotional problems such as anxiety and mood swings. People sensitive to the chemical components of fragrances may suffer from severe migraine, dizziness, nausea, sore throat, eye irritation, skin allergies and asthma.
Some of the most common chemicals in perfumes are ethanol, acetaldehyde, benzaldehyde, benzyl acetate, acetone, benzyl alcohol, ethyl acetate, linalool, methylene chloride, styrene oxide, dimenthyl sulfate, a-terpineol, camphor and limonene.
The biggest problem, especially for allergy sufferers, is that the health hazard is not always stamped on product labels. This is because the law gives the manufacturer the right not to inform all components used in the product formula.
Recommendations
To prevent damage to your health, it is important to keep in the habit of reading the labels of toiletries. If there is no ingredient list, the manufacturer may have something to hide. Also, beware of scented oils (synthetic product) disguised as essential oils (sourced from natural sources).
And if the idea is to change fragrance, first try to get a sample of the perfume? to make sure you are not allergic to it. Whenever you suspect an allergic reaction or a health hazard from perfume, stop using it immediately and consult your doctor.
Is Perfume is dangerous for Health? (April 2024)
- Skin, Perfume
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