Second-Hand Scents
Forgive me if this is a bit erratic. I'm very dizzy today, and so thoughts don't flow as well when that happens.
Scents - we all like them. Some of us a lot more than others. You know the kind - if a little dab is good, the whole bottle is better. But do you know what makes that scent? And do you know how many things in your home have scents added?
Here's a list of just some products with scents added:
Tissues, Toilet Paper, Shampoo, Conditioner, Soap, Lotion, Hairspray, Mousse, Gel, Deodorant, Makeup, Aftershave, Cologne, Perfume, Toothpaste, Mouthwash, Floss, Body Powder, diapers, incontinence pads, feminine pads, Window Cleaner, Floor Cleaner, Dish Soap, Dish Washing Detergent, Fabric Detergent, Fabric Softener, Dryer Sheets, Furniture Polish, Silver Polish, Dust Cloths, Cat Litter, Garbage Bags, New Furniture, Air Fresheners, Candles, Bleach, Blue, Ammonia, Car Cleaning Products, Lamp Oil, Pot Pourri, Carpet Cleaner, Snack Foods, Microwave Popcorn, Soft Drinks, Powdered Drinks, Jello, Candy, Chewable Vitamins, Ink.
The Chemicals In Scentology
The fragrance industry uses over 3000 (3 thousand) chemicals to create the scents in the products we buy. Most are petrochemical - also known as volatile organic compounds (banned from paints in NYS). This is actually being studied as part of indoor air pollution. Yes, the fragrances in your clothes and on your body contribute to the poor air in your home and office.
75% of all products with chemical fragrance added have phthalates http://kermitsteam.blogspot.com/2007/12/air-fresheners.html. This about this. You smear these things on your hair, your scalp, your face, and your body. They cling to you from within the fibers of your clothes, transferring to your hands, your face, and your furniture, children and pets. You inhale them as they release from your skin, your clothes and the air fresheners you can't live without. Considering your skin is the largest organ of your body, you have inundated it with these chemicals. Your lungs absorb more chemicals faster than any other organ in your body. Inhale deeply!
All fragrances are untested - the government doesn't see a need to - unregulated - you can't regulate what you don't test - and unlabled - if they aren't tested or regulated, they must be safe, so why lable them as being in the product to begin with?
Many personal care products have one of dozens of artificial musks. Most of these have been linked to hormone disruption. This is bad since these particular chemicals bioaccumulate, meaning they are stored in the fat. This also means if a woman is using perfumes with one of these mictures, it will be transferred to her baby during breast feeding. Hormone disruption is attributed to the feminization of boys and early development of girls Essential oils found in many products, has been linked to hormone disruption in prepubescent boys.
Scent-Free
More and more people are suffering from Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Environmental Illness, and Sick Building Syndrome. Take away these chemicals and these people's health improves immediately. Fewer asthma attacks are reported, fewer sick days, sinus infections, allergic responses and more productivity is attributed. For more information, please refer to www.MCS-Global.org
Countries are starting to take the initiative by requiring scent-free locales within buildings - much as smoke-free areas have occurred in this country. Much of the research that has been done regarding the deliterious effects of chemical fragrances has been done in Canada, which is also leading the way in scent-free zones for sensitive people. I'd love to make all elementary schools scent-free, but that's just my soap box issue of the day.
How?
Many products are now unscented. You must pay careful attention since they'll say fragrance free, but not be unscented. Unfortunately, there is a difference and product manufacturers know this.
Use unscented laundry detergent. Rather than fabric softener or dryer sheets, use a 1/4 C of baking soda in the wash. It leaves clothes softer than anything you can buy specifically for that purpose.
Get rid of the candles and air fresheners in your home. If you need, sprinkle baking soda on your carpet weekly and vacuum it up after 20 minutes. It works wonders.
Use unscented soaps. Don't layer scents onto your skin with soap, then lotion, then whatever is in your clothing. Use scant amounts of lotion. You don't need nearly what you think you do.
Once you take some simple measures as above, you'll be far more aware of other scents around you. You may wish to cut more out of your life. Or, you may fall in love with your perfume again. Who knows?
Regardless, why use them? Why subject your body and the bodies of your children to unknown chemicals? And, to work with a popular scare tactic, if China put chemicals that are dangerous to pet and person in knowingly tested products, what are they putting in to products that are completely unregulated? Are you truly willing to risk that?
Scents - we all like them. Some of us a lot more than others. You know the kind - if a little dab is good, the whole bottle is better. But do you know what makes that scent? And do you know how many things in your home have scents added?
Here's a list of just some products with scents added:
Tissues, Toilet Paper, Shampoo, Conditioner, Soap, Lotion, Hairspray, Mousse, Gel, Deodorant, Makeup, Aftershave, Cologne, Perfume, Toothpaste, Mouthwash, Floss, Body Powder, diapers, incontinence pads, feminine pads, Window Cleaner, Floor Cleaner, Dish Soap, Dish Washing Detergent, Fabric Detergent, Fabric Softener, Dryer Sheets, Furniture Polish, Silver Polish, Dust Cloths, Cat Litter, Garbage Bags, New Furniture, Air Fresheners, Candles, Bleach, Blue, Ammonia, Car Cleaning Products, Lamp Oil, Pot Pourri, Carpet Cleaner, Snack Foods, Microwave Popcorn, Soft Drinks, Powdered Drinks, Jello, Candy, Chewable Vitamins, Ink.
The Chemicals In Scentology
The fragrance industry uses over 3000 (3 thousand) chemicals to create the scents in the products we buy. Most are petrochemical - also known as volatile organic compounds (banned from paints in NYS). This is actually being studied as part of indoor air pollution. Yes, the fragrances in your clothes and on your body contribute to the poor air in your home and office.
75% of all products with chemical fragrance added have phthalates http://kermitsteam.blogspot.com/2007/12/air-fresheners.html. This about this. You smear these things on your hair, your scalp, your face, and your body. They cling to you from within the fibers of your clothes, transferring to your hands, your face, and your furniture, children and pets. You inhale them as they release from your skin, your clothes and the air fresheners you can't live without. Considering your skin is the largest organ of your body, you have inundated it with these chemicals. Your lungs absorb more chemicals faster than any other organ in your body. Inhale deeply!
All fragrances are untested - the government doesn't see a need to - unregulated - you can't regulate what you don't test - and unlabled - if they aren't tested or regulated, they must be safe, so why lable them as being in the product to begin with?
Many personal care products have one of dozens of artificial musks. Most of these have been linked to hormone disruption. This is bad since these particular chemicals bioaccumulate, meaning they are stored in the fat. This also means if a woman is using perfumes with one of these mictures, it will be transferred to her baby during breast feeding. Hormone disruption is attributed to the feminization of boys and early development of girls Essential oils found in many products, has been linked to hormone disruption in prepubescent boys.
Scent-Free
More and more people are suffering from Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Environmental Illness, and Sick Building Syndrome. Take away these chemicals and these people's health improves immediately. Fewer asthma attacks are reported, fewer sick days, sinus infections, allergic responses and more productivity is attributed. For more information, please refer to www.MCS-Global.org
Countries are starting to take the initiative by requiring scent-free locales within buildings - much as smoke-free areas have occurred in this country. Much of the research that has been done regarding the deliterious effects of chemical fragrances has been done in Canada, which is also leading the way in scent-free zones for sensitive people. I'd love to make all elementary schools scent-free, but that's just my soap box issue of the day.
How?
Many products are now unscented. You must pay careful attention since they'll say fragrance free, but not be unscented. Unfortunately, there is a difference and product manufacturers know this.
Use unscented laundry detergent. Rather than fabric softener or dryer sheets, use a 1/4 C of baking soda in the wash. It leaves clothes softer than anything you can buy specifically for that purpose.
Get rid of the candles and air fresheners in your home. If you need, sprinkle baking soda on your carpet weekly and vacuum it up after 20 minutes. It works wonders.
Use unscented soaps. Don't layer scents onto your skin with soap, then lotion, then whatever is in your clothing. Use scant amounts of lotion. You don't need nearly what you think you do.
Once you take some simple measures as above, you'll be far more aware of other scents around you. You may wish to cut more out of your life. Or, you may fall in love with your perfume again. Who knows?
Regardless, why use them? Why subject your body and the bodies of your children to unknown chemicals? And, to work with a popular scare tactic, if China put chemicals that are dangerous to pet and person in knowingly tested products, what are they putting in to products that are completely unregulated? Are you truly willing to risk that?
Labels: air fresheners, article, chemical, hormone disruptor, house cleaning, phthalates
posted by Leslie at
5:47 PM
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