Nice smells are IN. And that’s great because who doesn’t want to use personal care products that smell like lavender or ginger or vanilla or … The problem is we have No Freaking Idea of what’s in that fragrance!!! Except that it’s most likely nothing we want on our bodies if we’re concerned about health. Let’s look at an example.
This Kiss My Face Olive Oil soap advertises itself as truly healthy. The marketing materials use terms like “sun drenched Mediterranean orchards”, “used for centuries” and “its antioxidant properties are legendary”. With these descriptions I picture white marble Greek temples with olive-laded tree branches blowing gently in the breeze.
The advertising goes on to say that it’s:
100% biodegradable
vegan
gluten free
paraben free
phthalate free
SLS free
no animal testing
Sounds like a product to love, right?
But then I went looking for the ingredients – and had to go to numerous sites to finally find them. That’s always a red flag. But I finally found them and here they are:
Saponified Olea Europa (Olive) Fruit Oil, Water, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender), Sodium Chloride, Fragrance
Synthetic Fragrances: Most Products will simply say “Fragrance” which means any combination of the cheapest 200 synthetic, toxic ingredients the company can find. Causes headaches, dizziness, rashes, violent coughing, vomiting, skin irritations etc. In fact, fragrances are the number one common cause of allergies and irritant reactions to cosmetics. The FDA does not require manufacturers to list the ingredients of a “fragrance.” When you see the word “fragrance,” it can have as many as 4,000 separate chemicals. Symptoms reported to the FDA have included headaches, dizziness, rashes, skin discoloration, violent coughing and vomiting, and allergic skin irritation. Clinical observation by medical doctors has shown that exposure to fragrances can affect the central nervous system, causing depression, hyperactivity, irritability, inability to cope and other behavioral changes.”
Synthetic fragrance has reported used in the following product types: hair color and bleaching (1998); moisturizer (1525); shampoo (1342); conditioner (1282); facial moisturizer/treatment (1195); body wash/cleanser (1061); facial cleanser (897); styling gel/lotion (882); fragrance for women (764); sunscreen spf 15 and above (723).
* Mary Kay Domain Cologne
* Kiss My Face Bar Soap, Olive & Honey
* Givenchy Amarige D’Amour Eau deToilette
* Ralph Lauren Romance Silver for Men Eau de Toilette
* Mennen Speed Stick Deodorant
* Aveda Hair Detoxifier
Does this REALLY sound like something you want on – and in – your body?
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