Fragrance | Naturalpedia

Fragrance

We all want to smell nice! But not all good smells are so good under the surface. “Fragrance” or “Parfum” is an ingredient listing that can disguise a number of harmful chemicals. Fragrance recipes are considered trade secrets so manufacturers are not required to disclose chemicals that make up the fragrance. The average North American uses between 17 and 21 scented products per day, exposing themselves to a "chemical soup" with unknown health effects.

In 2002, the Environment Working Group (EWG) tested 72 brand names and discovered phthalates in 75% of them. Some fragrance ingredients are not perfuming agents themselves, but actually work to enhance the performance of perfuming agents. For example, diethyl phthalate or DEP is widely used in cosmetic fragrances as a cheap and versatile way to make scent linger. According to David Suzuki, Fragrance is one of the ‘dirty dozen’ to avoid as DEP is suspected to interfere with hormone function, such as endocrine disruption, causing reproductive and developmental problems amongst other health effects. EWG’s Skin Deep Database gives Fragrance a score of 8, noting its moderate to high health risks.

We’re not saying that all fragrances are necessarily bad for your health. But we don’t believe that ignorance is bliss. So if you can’t be sure these chemicals are safe, why not choose a natural, safe alternative? There is no room for synthetic fragrances or phthalates in the Rocky world. We believe nature provides more than enough natural aromas and essential oils to make you smell amazing.