Ingredient Watch List: Fragrances and Perfumes

You might think it sounds silly to not want fragrance in your products. Who doesn’t want to smell nice? And my products obviously have lots of (yummy!) scents to them. So how can fragrance be a bad thing?

Simply put, all fragrances aren’t created equal.

There is a vast difference between a product scented with essential oils than one scented with the vague term “fragrance” on the label. What does the “fragrance” label really mean? Read on and learn more.

The many types of fragrance

Obviously, fragrances and perfumes aren’t a modern invention. But their current versions certainly are – before the late 1800s, perfumes were mostly derived from natural plant and animal ingredients. Now, perfumes are a potent cocktail of synthetic ingredients; 98% of the ingredients in these fragrance blends are petroleum-based synthetic compounds. The fragrance industry is self-regulated, and companies aren’t required to disclose the makeup of their generic “fragrance” formulas, as it’s considered a trade secret. However, studies have shown that fragrance blends are often created with over 600 ingredients, most of them chemicals you’d never want to ingest. These blends can cause many types of allergic reactions, including headaches, nausea, dizziness, coughing fits, and more.

How you can avoid synthetic fragrance

At this point, it is practically impossible to completely avoid fragranced products. In the 1970s, products started to include added fragrance (and it was marketed as a good thing); today it is the norm. Fragrances are in cosmetics, health products, cleaning supplies – even products labeled “fragrance free” often have an added fragrance to cover up the scent of the product’s other ingredients! Worse, we are often marketed to that we need fragranced products to cover up our natural odors. There’s nothing wrong with your natural scent, and smelling “springtime fresh” or whatnot is completely unnecessary!

Your best line of defense against these products is vigilance. Read the labels of what you buy. Be aware of what is going into your body. If you can decrease the level of fragrance cocktails you are exposed to or put in your body on a regular basis, you’ll be far ahead of the typical consumer.

In my skin care line, I have been unwavering on what goes in my products. The ingredients speak (and smell!) for themselves. Our labels will always tell you exactly what the products contain – no hidden surprises or vague wording. Annmarie Skin Care products smell great because they’re full of great-smelling natural ingredients. I hope you think so, too. 🙂

Much Love,
Annmarie Gianni
“Teaching People About Beauty From the Inside Out”