(Photo by Arnold Chao) Ah, sweet perfume. Floral, fruity, musky, sexy -- just mist the wrists and you're fresh. But if Eternity is your eau de choix, you may have just showered yourself with a 41-ingredient blend replete with toxins. Synthetic ingredients found in many perfumes may be hazardous to your health and possibly cause ailments including asthma, skin irritations, or even birth defects. Nonprofits, environmental groups, and victims of multiple chemical sensitivity are sniffing out the additives of popular perfumes (.mpg) and urging the fragrance industry to limit its use of chemicals. Fragrance manufacturers insist their products meet FDA regulations and that opposing studies are inconclusive (.pdf). But we're still mystified by the fragrant concoctions whose ingredients remain missing from product labels. Pew! Do you smell something? Suggested Sites... IOL: Beckham's Perfume Under Greenpeace Spotlight - will smelling like David Beckham make you sterile? International Fragrance Association: News - affirming the safety of alleged toxic chemicals used in fragrances. IHT: Perfume's Toxic Spritz? - the French Perfume Manufacturers Association vs. Greenpeace. Not Too Pretty - campaign against using chemicals linked to birth defects in leading beauty care products. The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics - pushing cosmetic companies to keep products safe for consumers.

Directory categories: Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Environmental Toxicology, Consumer Advocacy, Environmental Organizations

Archived under: Allergies, Beauty, Cosmetics, Environment, Health, Safety, Shopping

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