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Dear Eartha,
Each year on Valentine’s Day I purchase perfume for my girlfriend. She has always had allergies and I want to be sure to get her something that will not irritate her health. Are there certain perfumes or fragrances that are better? — Larry (Summit Cove)
Valentine's Day is fast approaching, but that may not be the smell of love in the air. Perhaps it is the synthetic fragrances found in your household cleaning products or personal care items. Most perfumes, laundry detergents, fabric softeners, dish-washing liquids, disinfectants, soaps, shampoos, cosmetics, sun blocks, aftershaves, etc. have an odor to them. The chemically produced smells have been linked to a variety of health problems. In contrast, the believed benefits of essential oils are far greater than just aromatherapy.
The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act describes that the FDA's jurisdiction does cover cosmetics. Regulations on beauty items, claiming to make you feel more attractive, are not as strict compared to the products that allege to treat/prevent a disease or aliment. Should cosmetics undergo a similar screening process, maybe their labels would include warnings as well. Imagine if the back of a perfume bottle read like a drug: Side affects may include difficulty breathing, sinus problems, allergies, nausea, exhaustion, rashes, heart palpations and watery eyes.
A great website that lists chemical-free alternatives and provides descriptions for a variety of synthetic scents is EcoMall.com. The article “Fragrance Chemicals as Toxic Substances” sites that Toluene (methyl benzene) was detected in 100 percent of the fragrances found in a 1991 report by the Environmental Protection Agency. Considered a toxic volatile organic compound (VOC), toluene can damage the lungs, liver, kidneys, heart and the central nervous system. The more extreme cases, often due to constant exposure, reveal memory loss, brain damage, and difficulties with speech, hearing and vision.
The Environmental Health Association of Nova Scotia also offers a helpful “Guide to Less Toxic Products.” (http://bit.ly/wPw1oq) It explains that more than 3,000 chemical ingredients are used to produce perfumes and fragrances. Thirty percent of the population is sensitive to these scents and about 5 percent cannot tolerate them at all. Labels on perfumes and other odoriferous items can be misleading. To protect trade secrets, some products are as vague as to list “fragrance,” rather than the possible hundreds of ingredients used to achieve an aroma.
The most efficient way to avoid chemical fragrances is to create customized aromas at your own at home. The Essential Oils Pocket Reference compiled by Essential Science Publishing describes different oils and the various ways to use them. Many pure essential oils are classified as “GRAS” by the FDA, this means they are considered “Generally Regarded As Safe” for human consumption. Through inhalation, ingestion, or topical application, various medical traditions believe essential oils can treat/prevent cancer, HIV, asthma, bronchitis, heart strokes, etc.
The fragrance of an essential oil may be appealing to one and irritating to another, so anytime you concoct your own perfumes or household cleaners, be sure to customize. As a gift, the thoughtfulness will be greatly appreciated. There is also a great opportunity to be creative. This summer I grew my own lavender, thyme and sage. I boiled them down in the kitchen to make perfume. The potent liquid was also combined with lemongrass, tea tree, almond, eucalyptus and peppermint oils to make a super cleaning brew.
For oils and dried herbs visit your local health food store or apothecary. For more information visit the “Green Yourself” page at the High Country Conservation website (www.highcountryconservation.org)
This week's Eartha Steward is written by Caitlin Akkerhuis, independent contractor at the High Country Conservation Center (HC3). HC3 is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to waste reduction and resource conservation in our mountain community. Submit questions to Eartha at eartha@highcountryconservation.org.
The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act describes that the FDA's jurisdiction does cover cosmetics. Regulations on beauty items, claiming to make you feel more attractive, are not as strict compared to the products that allege to treat/prevent a disease or aliment. Should cosmetics undergo a similar screening process, maybe their labels would include warnings as well. Imagine if the back of a perfume bottle read like a drug: Side affects may include difficulty breathing, sinus problems, allergies, nausea, exhaustion, rashes, heart palpations and watery eyes.
A great website that lists chemical-free alternatives and provides descriptions for a variety of synthetic scents is EcoMall.com. The article “Fragrance Chemicals as Toxic Substances” sites that Toluene (methyl benzene) was detected in 100 percent of the fragrances found in a 1991 report by the Environmental Protection Agency. Considered a toxic volatile organic compound (VOC), toluene can damage the lungs, liver, kidneys, heart and the central nervous system. The more extreme cases, often due to constant exposure, reveal memory loss, brain damage, and difficulties with speech, hearing and vision.
The Environmental Health Association of Nova Scotia also offers a helpful “Guide to Less Toxic Products.” (http://bit.ly/wPw1oq) It explains that more than 3,000 chemical ingredients are used to produce perfumes and fragrances. Thirty percent of the population is sensitive to these scents and about 5 percent cannot tolerate them at all. Labels on perfumes and other odoriferous items can be misleading. To protect trade secrets, some products are as vague as to list “fragrance,” rather than the possible hundreds of ingredients used to achieve an aroma.
The most efficient way to avoid chemical fragrances is to create customized aromas at your own at home. The Essential Oils Pocket Reference compiled by Essential Science Publishing describes different oils and the various ways to use them. Many pure essential oils are classified as “GRAS” by the FDA, this means they are considered “Generally Regarded As Safe” for human consumption. Through inhalation, ingestion, or topical application, various medical traditions believe essential oils can treat/prevent cancer, HIV, asthma, bronchitis, heart strokes, etc.
The fragrance of an essential oil may be appealing to one and irritating to another, so anytime you concoct your own perfumes or household cleaners, be sure to customize. As a gift, the thoughtfulness will be greatly appreciated. There is also a great opportunity to be creative. This summer I grew my own lavender, thyme and sage. I boiled them down in the kitchen to make perfume. The potent liquid was also combined with lemongrass, tea tree, almond, eucalyptus and peppermint oils to make a super cleaning brew.
For oils and dried herbs visit your local health food store or apothecary. For more information visit the “Green Yourself” page at the High Country Conservation website (www.highcountryconservation.org)
This week's Eartha Steward is written by Caitlin Akkerhuis, independent contractor at the High Country Conservation Center (HC3). HC3 is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to waste reduction and resource conservation in our mountain community. Submit questions to Eartha at eartha@highcountryconservation.org.
