During the ancient days, only 100% extract of plants and animals were used. No synthetics, no chemicals. 100% original. It is a different story today. Due to high cost, animal and plants being on the verge of extinction (because of the huge amount needed to FEED the mass market of perfume/fragrances), synthetic chemicals are needed to continually boost the perfume market.
Perfume Hypersensitivity or 'Allergies'
Many people today have developed a hypersensitivity, an 'intolerance' or an 'allergy' to 'smells'. Particularly to perfume. And to these people, it never crossed their mind that their perfume/fragrance could be the one that is triggering their 'allergy' reactions. And sad to say, some are too addicted to their perfumes to give them up. And continue to live in denial and in sickness!
In order to prolong the shelf life of perfumes, preservatives are added to extend their shelf life. And many times, these preservatives are the culprits of perfume 'allergies'.
Some 'allergy' reactions are even caused by the natural products that are in the perfumes!
Common 'Allergy' Causing Chemicals in Perfumes
1. Amylcinnamic Alcohol
This is very extensively used in women's perfume. It produces a jasmine-like 'floral-ness' when accompanied by more volatile chemicals of floral character. Assists in fixation for perfumes. It is known as a human immune system toxicant. It can cause contact dermatitis.
It is also known as:
* 1-heptanol, 2-(phenylmethylene)
* 2-amyl-3-phenyl-2-propen-l-ol
* 2-(phenylmethylene)-l-Heptanol
* 2-benzylideneheptan-1-ol
* 2-benzyliidene-1-heptanol
* 2-pentyl-3-phenylprop-2-en-1-ol
* Alpha-amylcinnamic alcohol
* Alpha-amylcinnamyl alcohol
* Alpha pentyl cinnamyl alcohol
* Amylcinnamic alcohol
* Amylcinnamyl alcohol
* Buxinol
2. Anisyl Alcohol
This is used in perfumery and it has a hawthorn ordour. It adds volume and also gives a natural aspect to floral compositions such as mimosa, lilac, cassia, apple-blossom, jasmine and heliotrope as well as to clover and fougere perfumes.
It is also found in acid cleaners, fabric conditioners, antiperspirant, toiletries, fabric detergent liquid, soap, powder detergent and liquid bleach.
It is filed as a non-food allergy which can cause nausea, headache, breathing difficulty, hoarse voice, loss of voice, tingling lips, muscle pain, joint pain and etc. Some react in an anaphylactic reaction, some get asthma, abdominal pain, eczema or headaches. (click here)
3. Benzyl Alcohol
This is used as a solvent and preservative in perfumes. Benzyl Alcohol has been associated with contact allergy. When tests were conducted on lab rats, DNA damage was recorded. For more information click here.
4. Benzyl Salicylate
Since I am salicylate sensitive, I am going to highlight this in red. This is used as a solvent for synthetic musks as a fixative in floral perfumes such as jasmine, lilac and lily. There has been evidence that people can become sensitized to this material, thus has been given a Restriction Standard by the International Fragrance Association.
* Alpha-amylcinnamyl alcohol
* Alpha pentyl cinnamyl alcohol
* Amylcinnamic alcohol
* Amylcinnamyl alcohol
* Buxinol
2. Anisyl Alcohol
This is used in perfumery and it has a hawthorn ordour. It adds volume and also gives a natural aspect to floral compositions such as mimosa, lilac, cassia, apple-blossom, jasmine and heliotrope as well as to clover and fougere perfumes.
It is also found in acid cleaners, fabric conditioners, antiperspirant, toiletries, fabric detergent liquid, soap, powder detergent and liquid bleach.
It is filed as a non-food allergy which can cause nausea, headache, breathing difficulty, hoarse voice, loss of voice, tingling lips, muscle pain, joint pain and etc. Some react in an anaphylactic reaction, some get asthma, abdominal pain, eczema or headaches. (click here)
3. Benzyl Alcohol
This is used as a solvent and preservative in perfumes. Benzyl Alcohol has been associated with contact allergy. When tests were conducted on lab rats, DNA damage was recorded. For more information click here.
4. Benzyl Salicylate
Since I am salicylate sensitive, I am going to highlight this in red. This is used as a solvent for synthetic musks as a fixative in floral perfumes such as jasmine, lilac and lily. There has been evidence that people can become sensitized to this material, thus has been given a Restriction Standard by the International Fragrance Association.
5. Cinnamic Alcohol
This has a distinctive ordour which is described as sweet, balsam, hyacinth, spicy, green, powdery and cinnamic. This is used in perfumery and in deodorants too.
Cinnamic alcohol has been found to have a sensitizing effect on some people and thus has been given a Restricted Standard by the Internal Fragrance Association.
6. Cinnamic Aldehyde
Cinnamic Aldehyde is a skin irritant. This is also used as a flavoring agent. For more information click here.
7. Coumarin
Coumarin has a distinctively sweet ordour which reminds people of freshly cut grass or hay. This has been used in perfumes since the late 1800s. For more information of Coumarin, click here.
Research shows that it could cause cancer. And it can trigger contact dermatitis. To read more about the side-effects of coumarin, click here.
8. Eugenol
Eugenol is used in perfumeries, flavorings, essential oils and in medicines as a local antiseptic and anesthetic.
Eugenol is hepatotoxic, which means it can cause damage to the liver. Kouros Eau de Toilette by Yves Saint Laurent contains Eugenol. People who have sensitivity to Eugenol should avoid this fragrance. Eugenol can cause contact dermatitis.
Click here for more information.
9. Geraniol
Geraniol is a monoterpenoid and an alcohol. It is the primary part of rose oil, palmarosa oil, and certain types of citronella oil. Geraniol also occurs in small quantities in geranium, lemon, and many other essential oils. It has a rose-like ordour.
For a detailed information on Geraniol, click here.
Geraniol can be found in facial moisturizer or facial treatment, hair colouring and bleaching, moisturizers, women's fragrance and anti-agine products.
People should avoid Geraniol if they have perfume allergy.
10. Hydroxycitronellal
This is a perfume ingredient with a medium strength floral scent which smells like lilly and sweet tropical melon. The two main components in Hydroxycitionellal are Citral and Geraniol.
It has been noted that Hydroxycitronellal above 5% concentration caused facial psoriasis and it is a documented irritant.
For more on Hydroxycitronellal click here.
11. Isoeugenol
Click here for the chemical make-up of Isoeugenol.
Isoeugenol is a substitute phenol.
It is known to cause contact dermatitis.
This is a very interesting link on the study that has been done on Isoeugenol.
12. Musk Ambrette
* Musk ambrette (2,6-dinitro-3-methoxy-4-tert-butyltoluene), a nitro-musk compound widely used as a fixative in fragrance formulations and found to a lesser degree in flavor compositions, produces hindlimb weakness when administered in the diet or applied to skin of rats for periods up to 12 weeks. Underlying neuropathologic changes consist of primary demyelination and distal axonal degeneration in selected regions of the central and peripheral nervous system. Murine neurological disease induced by musk ambrette occurs at doses well above estimated maximum daily human exposure. Lifetime experimental neurotoxicology studies using lower concentrations of musk ambrette for prolonged periods would be needed for the estimation of human risk.
* taken from neurotoxic properties of musk ambrette
Read contact and photocontact allergy to musk ambrette.
Apparently, this has been discontinued in the industry of perfumery. It is a banned product.
13. Sandalwood Oil
Read here for Sandalwood oil non-food allergy reaction.
Though Sandalwood oil is mild, it can cause severe allergy reaction when applied undiluted.
14. Wood Tars
* In a population of 1883 patients tested for allergic contact dermatitis (1985-1988), a prevalence of 5.4% (103 cases) was seen for wood tars (ICDRG allergen, 12% pet.) sensitization. In this group (n = 103), retrospectively, a combined allergy was seen to wood tars and fragrance mix in 43% and to wood tars and balsam of Peru in 31%. A combined allergy to wood tars and coal tar was seen in 19 patients (18.5%): 14 to liquor carbonis detergens (LCD), 8 to lianthral and 3 to both LCD and lianthral. Within the group with wood tars allergy (n = 103), a minority (n = 37) had a history of atopic dermatitis. Comparison of the test results in atopic and non-atopic subgroups (within the group of 103) revealed a higher incidence of combined wood tars-fragrance mix allergy in the atopic group (n = 37). In this group, a lower incidence of combined wood tars-coal tar sensitization was seen in comparison with the non-atopic group (n = 66). The authors believe that combined "wood tars-coal tar" allergy could be the consequence of cross-sensitization rather than due to long-term previous topical treatment with tar derivatives. The high % of cross-allergy between wood tars and fragrance mix emphasizes the role of wood tars as an important indicator allergen in perfume allergy.
* taken from wood tars allergy, cross-sensitization and coal tar
This has a distinctive ordour which is described as sweet, balsam, hyacinth, spicy, green, powdery and cinnamic. This is used in perfumery and in deodorants too.
Cinnamic alcohol has been found to have a sensitizing effect on some people and thus has been given a Restricted Standard by the Internal Fragrance Association.
6. Cinnamic Aldehyde
Cinnamic Aldehyde is a skin irritant. This is also used as a flavoring agent. For more information click here.
7. Coumarin
Coumarin has a distinctively sweet ordour which reminds people of freshly cut grass or hay. This has been used in perfumes since the late 1800s. For more information of Coumarin, click here.
Research shows that it could cause cancer. And it can trigger contact dermatitis. To read more about the side-effects of coumarin, click here.
8. Eugenol
Eugenol is used in perfumeries, flavorings, essential oils and in medicines as a local antiseptic and anesthetic.
Eugenol is hepatotoxic, which means it can cause damage to the liver. Kouros Eau de Toilette by Yves Saint Laurent contains Eugenol. People who have sensitivity to Eugenol should avoid this fragrance. Eugenol can cause contact dermatitis.
Click here for more information.
9. Geraniol
Geraniol is a monoterpenoid and an alcohol. It is the primary part of rose oil, palmarosa oil, and certain types of citronella oil. Geraniol also occurs in small quantities in geranium, lemon, and many other essential oils. It has a rose-like ordour.
For a detailed information on Geraniol, click here.
Geraniol can be found in facial moisturizer or facial treatment, hair colouring and bleaching, moisturizers, women's fragrance and anti-agine products.
People should avoid Geraniol if they have perfume allergy.
10. Hydroxycitronellal
This is a perfume ingredient with a medium strength floral scent which smells like lilly and sweet tropical melon. The two main components in Hydroxycitionellal are Citral and Geraniol.
It has been noted that Hydroxycitronellal above 5% concentration caused facial psoriasis and it is a documented irritant.
For more on Hydroxycitronellal click here.
11. Isoeugenol
Click here for the chemical make-up of Isoeugenol.
Isoeugenol is a substitute phenol.
It is known to cause contact dermatitis.
This is a very interesting link on the study that has been done on Isoeugenol.
12. Musk Ambrette
* Musk ambrette (2,6-dinitro-3-methoxy-4-tert-butyltoluene), a nitro-musk compound widely used as a fixative in fragrance formulations and found to a lesser degree in flavor compositions, produces hindlimb weakness when administered in the diet or applied to skin of rats for periods up to 12 weeks. Underlying neuropathologic changes consist of primary demyelination and distal axonal degeneration in selected regions of the central and peripheral nervous system. Murine neurological disease induced by musk ambrette occurs at doses well above estimated maximum daily human exposure. Lifetime experimental neurotoxicology studies using lower concentrations of musk ambrette for prolonged periods would be needed for the estimation of human risk.
* taken from neurotoxic properties of musk ambrette
Read contact and photocontact allergy to musk ambrette.
Apparently, this has been discontinued in the industry of perfumery. It is a banned product.
13. Sandalwood Oil
Read here for Sandalwood oil non-food allergy reaction.
Though Sandalwood oil is mild, it can cause severe allergy reaction when applied undiluted.
14. Wood Tars
* In a population of 1883 patients tested for allergic contact dermatitis (1985-1988), a prevalence of 5.4% (103 cases) was seen for wood tars (ICDRG allergen, 12% pet.) sensitization. In this group (n = 103), retrospectively, a combined allergy was seen to wood tars and fragrance mix in 43% and to wood tars and balsam of Peru in 31%. A combined allergy to wood tars and coal tar was seen in 19 patients (18.5%): 14 to liquor carbonis detergens (LCD), 8 to lianthral and 3 to both LCD and lianthral. Within the group with wood tars allergy (n = 103), a minority (n = 37) had a history of atopic dermatitis. Comparison of the test results in atopic and non-atopic subgroups (within the group of 103) revealed a higher incidence of combined wood tars-fragrance mix allergy in the atopic group (n = 37). In this group, a lower incidence of combined wood tars-coal tar sensitization was seen in comparison with the non-atopic group (n = 66). The authors believe that combined "wood tars-coal tar" allergy could be the consequence of cross-sensitization rather than due to long-term previous topical treatment with tar derivatives. The high % of cross-allergy between wood tars and fragrance mix emphasizes the role of wood tars as an important indicator allergen in perfume allergy.
* taken from wood tars allergy, cross-sensitization and coal tar
Good post. Very detailed.
ReplyDeleteThanks! :)
Delete