Why You Don’t Need Artificial Fragrance in Your Skin Care
Freshly baked bread, ground coffee, scent of your newborn are some of our most loved smells and as one of our five senses - smell is extremely powerful. Memories are triggered by scents. You can relive an experience just by smell.
That’s why a lot of products use artificial fragrances – to cover up unpleasant chemical smells and make a product more attractive.
Yet not all fragrances are created equal. A lot of these fragrances are artificial, created in a lab and hide dangerous ingredients that can cause harm.
A lot of what we smell in the products today, comes from artificial fragrances, which are considered one of the biggest causes of irritation. Yes, they make your products smell delightful, but if you knew how artificial fragrances were made, you'd be less impressed. The big problem is, there's no way to know exactly what’s in artificial or synthetic fragrances, because on the ingredient list, you will only see the word “Fragrance” or “Parfum” meaning it could contain any number of chemicals from a list of more than 5000 used by the beauty industry, most of which have never been tested for safety. Why?
Well, “Fragrance” gets a free pass under the law—it’s the only ingredient that doesn’t have to say what it really is. How do companies get away with this? Fragrances are protected as a “trade-secret”—with formulas only the company is allowed to know, leaving us consumers in the dark!
What are Artificial fragrances?
Synthetic fragrances are mixtures of various chemicals which come from petroleum or crude oil that produce a desired scent. Often the ingredients for Artificial Fragrances are not listed in the ingredients list of products yet include harsh toxins like benzene derivatives, aldehydes, toluene and phthalates. Chemists around the world are constantly experimenting with various combinations to come up with a fragrance to make products more attractive or cover up unpleasant chemical scents. They know how a touch of this chemical will make something smell a little more floral, while a drop of that one will make it smell sweeter.
Why do manufacturers use Artificial fragrances?
Companies are after profits and chemical fragrances are much cheaper than scents produced naturally. Many everyday items such as: moisturisers, cleansers, body washes, shampoos, conditioners, soaps, deodorants, and candles are often artificially scented. These appealing aromas make you “think” you're buying luxury, when really, you're getting something potentially irritating for your skin and bad for your health.
Artificial fragrances can cause: skin irritation, allergies, asthma, eczema, headaches, hives, nausea, psoriasis, wheezing and contact dermatitis. As these aromas are airborne, artificial fragrances are also hazardous to anyone who happens to be nearby as well - they are becoming known as the new, second hand smoke!
Artificial fragrances have been linked to cancer, birth defects, disrupting hormone activity, sperm count reduction, nervous-system disorders, obesity, headaches, diabetes, asthma and allergies. A 1986 report by the National Academy of Science found that 95% of synthetic fragrances are derived from petroleum. Yet, product ingredient labels don’t include the ingredients list making up the Artificial Fragrance and instead use the mysterious “fragrance”, masking the detail that makes up that ingredient.
How to avoid Artificial fragrances?
Read Your Labels: if the label says “fragrance” or “parfum,” then don’t buy it. Choose only “unscented” and “fragrance-free” products—but read labels carefully, as some products use other chemicals to mask scent to create the “unscented” experience.
To take control of your health, at least in regard to fragrance, you have two options. The first is to use fragrance-free products - the best choice if you have chemical sensitivity or allergies. The second option is to choose products scented with Essential Oils. Certified organic essential oils are derived from flowers, fruit, grasses, seeds, bark, wood, roots, leaves, balsam and resin and are used to create a beautiful fragrance. They've been used for thousands of years and they smell amazing without giving you, or people in your vicinity, a headache.
Artificial fragrances take a huge toll on our health and the long-term effects of these synthetic fragrance are unquantifiable. What we do know is that more people are experiencing allergies and sensitivities than ever before. The more we can minimise our exposure to potentially dangerous chemicals and toxins, the better, which is why all our Kadee Botanicals skin care products are fragrance free.
Kadee Botanicals skincare do not need artificial fragrances to make skincare smell attractive or cover up unpleasant chemical scents. Made with essential oils, Kadee Botanicals skincare smell naturally beautiful. with the combined scents of Australian super plants, Kakadu Plum, Lilly Pilly and Jojoba Oil. Moreover, these natural scents like Lemon Myrtle in our hand cream have the power to improve your mood while nourishing and protecting your skin.
You don’t need artificial fragrances that can hurt when the natural essential oils smell beautiful without the harmful after effects.