Uses: Fragrances are used in just about any product you can think of. There’s a good chance that most natural-smelling air freshener you own, contains dozens of chemicals that are hard to pronounce. The more I looked around my bathroom, the more products with fragrance I saw. It’s in soaps, lotions, face wash, air freshener, hair spray, toothpaste, shampoo, and so much more! Even products that say “fragrance-free” could still have a fragrance that is counteracted with a masking agent.
Risks: Although this is not a specific chemical, I cannot stress enough how important it is to avoid fragrances. Even if you don’t look at the potential carcinogens in fragrances, a large portion of fragrances are known to cause allergies, irritation, hormonal issues, cancer, brain damage, and headaches. It’s important to think about the fact that even if you are able to easily tolerate fragrances, these chemicals can cause life-threatening allergic reactions in others, so think before you douse yourself in perfume or cologne. Just because something smells like the ocean breeze doesn’t make it natural, clean, or safe.
Environmental Risks: Many of the chemicals in fragrances are known to cause damage to sea life, and toxic levels of fragrances have been found in various fish and sea creatures that could be potentially consumed by humans, creating yet another health risk.
How to Avoid: Just about every sustainable company I have encountered is also devoted to using safe, non-toxic chemicals, so they will always be your best bet at finding safe products. The products I suggest are from companies who are transparent about how their items are scented. There are other companies that have great ingredients, but non-sustainable packaging. At environmentalemma, my goal is to promote companies that do a great job with sustainable packaging AND ethical ingredients.