ShareThisSeveral perfumes contain undeclared chemicals that have not been thoroughly tested for safety and may have serious health implications, a report by two environmental advocacy group says.
The two groups commissioned independent laboratory testing that identified several potentially harmful chemicals in perfume products including Acqua Di Gio by Giorgio Armani, and American Eagle's Seventy Seven.
According to the report, both contain lilial, an allergen that may prompt estrogen-like effects in the body, and benzyl salicylate, an allergen, as well as many other chemicals.
"Anything in your house that smells like a rain forest or a strawberry patch or a pine tree will have these chemicals in them," said Rick Smith, executive director of Canada-based Environmental Defence, which released the report along with the California-based Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.
In order to determine what chemicals are in many common fragrance products, the groups commissioned independent laboratory testing of 17 fragrances sold in the United States and Canada.
The testing showed that each fragrance contains, on average, 14 chemicals that are not listed on the product labels. In total, nearly 40 undisclosed chemicals were found in the 17 products tested. The products contained a total of 91 chemicals, some identified on labels and some not. Of those, only 19 have ever been reviewed by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review, a review body of the cosmetics industry.
"You can be the most savvy consumer in the world on the lookout for these hazardous chemicals on ingredient lists and you're never going to find them," said Smith, a zoologist by training.
Many of the chemicals identified in the report can trigger allergic reactions or act as hormone disruptors.
For instance, Quicksilver fragrance for men and Seventy Seven contain diethyl phthalate, which is suspected of disrupting endocrine function and potentially leading to reproductive or developmental problems.
Dolce & Gabbana's Light Blue fragrance contains several chemicals including butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), a preservative and stabilizer that has been linked to adverse effects on the thyroid and is a possible carcinogen.
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)
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