Perfumes can contain hundreds of different chemicals and in the EU, it is thought more than 2,500 different fragrance ingredients are used in perfumes and perfumed consumer goods. Under the EU regulation on cosmetic products, it is mandatory for cosmetics to be labelled with their ingredients. However, fragrance ingredients are normally protected as trade secrets and not listed on packaging, preventing consumers from making informed decisions to avoid chemicals that could negatively affect their health and the environment.
Eager to understand more about consumer exposure to harmful chemicals in perfumes, a joint initiative by three European organisations analysed the ingredients in 20 popular designer perfumes bought in Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark.
They searched for:
Suspected endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs)
Reprotoxic substances (substances that affect sexual function and fertility)
Allergens
Substances that are harmful to the environment.
Having obtained the ingredients lists for perfumes from well-known brands including Paco Rabanne, Chanel, Ralph Lauren, Dior, Armani and Yves Saint Laurent, the researchers compared these with substances of concern listed by several authoritative bodies. They found problematic substances in all 20 perfumes and only two without any suspected endocrine disrupting chemicals.
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