Fragrance-free DOES NOT MEAN fragrance-free!
Confused?
Let me explain to you what fragrance-free means.
FRAGRANCE-FREE or UNSCENTED products have an added chemical to MASK the smells of the other chemicals or fragrance in their products!!!
OH MY GOD!!!!
How ignorant I have been!
No wonder of late, the Simple shampoo has been irritating my nose and I could not figure out what it was!
Even though the masking agent(s) mask the smells of the other chemicals, they can still trigger a hypersensitivity attack as the chemicals are still in there. It is just that you don't smell it now, that's all.
Scary eh?
Of course I understand that there is no way we can completely avoid synthetic chemicals in our daily life. I am wondering on how to go about this fragrance-free and unscented products with masking agents.
Veratraldehyde
Veratraldehyede is an example of a masking agent.
The compound structure is structurally related to benzaldehyde. It is derivative of vanillin.
This is added to soaps, detergents and luxury perfumes as an odour-masking agent.
Veratraldehyde occurs naturally in champaca flower extracts, peppermint and raspberries. But it is commercially cheaper and thus almost all veratraldehyde used today is synthetic.
Not only it is used as a masking agent, it is used by perfumers as a fixative as it helps perfume linger longer on the skin or fabric.
Veratraldehyde's usage level is meant to be kept at or below 10% of a perfume's concentrate oil.
Veratraldehyde is also known as Methylvanillin, Veratric Aldehyde, Veratral, Veratryl Aldehyde, Veratrum Aldehyde, Vanillin Methyl Ether.
An interesting link.
Click here for more information on veratraldehyde.
Yes it's horrible isn't it? Good you posted about it. It's kinda in the news here in north america. Good companies will clearly write "no masking agents." My laundry detergent has it -TIDE FREE. So I try not to take big inhales of it.
ReplyDeleteI wonder what detergents have no masking agents in Malaysia? I am still trying to make my own laundry detergent. The regulation of daily products is atrocious!
Delete!!!!! Didn't know about this!!! i'm confused though, is this chemical worse or better than fragrance chemical?
ReplyDeleteI think the concept is the same as diet-coke or zero-coke- these type of "sugar-free" product actually contacts artificial sugar that is worse for the body....
I think it is as bad!! Imagine inhaling chemicals and not even knowing it! Especially for people like me!
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