Federal law doesn’t require companies to disclose the chemicals hidden under the name “fragrance”. Many fragrances are composed of 10-30 different chemicals derived from natural raw materials or petroleum.

Sometimes an incomplete list is shown, or the product is referred to as organic or natural or attention is brought to some of the products favorable ingredients, but the toxic ingredients are simply hidden by the word “fragrance” – a category that really could mean anything. Because so many ingredientsincluded in perfume aren’t disclosed, there are some well-founded concerns over the chemical reactions perfume can trigger in your body.

Recent data compiled by Women’s Voices for the Earth reveals that a third of all fragrance chemicals currently have been flagged as potentially toxic by scientists around the world.

Testing conducted by Breast Cancer Prevention Partners in 2018 revealed that three out of four hazardous chemicals identified in the products tested were fragrance ingredients.

For years, high-end fragrances and celebrity-recommended perfumes and colognes were a highly desired, novelty item. Smelling of Chanel or Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue was considered a sign of luxury that only a person of status might afford. However, according to statistics, sales of extravagant fragrance products like these have dropped significantly in the last few years. It’s possible that one reason for this is that the world is becoming more informed about the toxic nature of these products.