Perfume: It's the finishing touch to our outfits, the olfactory signature we leave behind, the invisible accessory that completes our presence. But beneath the allure of those beautifully crafted bottles lies a darker truth: the presence of potentially harmful ingredients. While the fragrance industry is known for its secrecy regarding formulations, a peek behind the curtain reveals a slew of substances that may pose risks to our health and the environment.

Here are some of the dangerous ingredients often found in perfumes:

1. Phthalates: These chemicals are commonly used as solvents and fixatives in fragrances to make the scent last longer. However, phthalates have been linked to hormone disruption, reproductive issues, and even certain cancers. They can also harm the environment, persisting in waterways and affecting aquatic life.

2. Parabens: Often used as preservatives in cosmetics, including perfumes, parabens can mimic estrogen in the body and disrupt the endocrine system....

And why you should care…

All Perfumes Aren’t Equal

Many of the most popular perfumes use synthetic fragrances to give them their signature scent. That ‘ode de cologne’ you love so much. The ‘floral bouquet’ aroma that seduces. That waft of ‘ocean breeze’ that takes you right to the beachside. These popular fragrances owe more to the petrochemical industry than to anything in the natural world. They are known as ‘synthetic fragrances’, or simply ‘fragrances’, and there is nothing pure or natural about them.

It is estimated that more than 95% of the components in fragrances are derived from chemicals, many of them highly toxic, that originated in the petrochemical industry. Even if your favourite perfume says it is natural, unless it lists every ingredient, you cannot be sure that they do not use ‘fragrances’. To protect their ‘secret recipes’, manufacturers are not required...