Is Perfume and Cologne Dangerous?

While perfumery has lasted for millenia, the innovations that have lead to modern perfumes and colognes are relatively recent. For the thousands of years prior to the twentieth century fragrances were made with purely natural products: crushed leaves, herbs, flowers, spices and wood; alcohol and water; the distilled oils from a variety of ingredients; etc. Although potent, these fragrances were nothing more than higher concentrations of what one could find in nature on any given day. These natural ingredients were easily handled by our bodies due to mankind’s long evolutionary journey allowing for a basic tolerance of said substances. This basic tolerance, however, is no longer useful for the fragrances we wear today, however. And, as a result, concerns are growing as to whether these seemingly sensual products are simply a coctail of toxic chemicals.

The twentieth century witnessed the birth of technology which allowed for hundreds of thousands of new chemicals and substances to be introduced to the world. While many products that have resulted are necessary to modern living, and extremely beneficial, they are also much more toxic than anything we have encountered in the past. Put simply, nature has not been around these products long enough to develop tolerances for them (excluding bacteria, which will always be the poster-child of evolutionary achievement). This, mixed with lack of foresight and regulation, has created the many dangers that we are now exposed to on a daily basis: carcinogens, allergens, toxins, etc.

The perfume industry was simply one of the hundreds of other industries to quickly—although recklessly may be the word we use in the future—adopt synthetics. The benefits of this move seemed enormous. Large quantities of rare fragrances could be replicated in the lab for a fraction of the cost, allowing for more products to be made and sold at prices targeted for the masses of middle-class citizens across the world. Further, scents that were previously unreplicable could now be reproduced through science, which allowed for the addition of the fresh perfumes and colognes to the older families of fragrances. Within fifty years, the entire industry had changed, transforming products that once contained a handful of natural ingredients into products that contain hundreds of synthetically-produced chemicals.

These chemicals were created so quickly, and adopted so rapidly, that they were rarely tested for safety before they were introduced en masse. This, along with our basic infatuation with anything that smells nice, allowed for these products to go on, unchecked, for decades. It wasn’t until the late eighties and early nineties that people really began to question the safety of these unnatural products. The oft-cited report by the US National Academy of Sciences made in 1986 was one of the first times that the ingredients of fragrances were listed as potentially harmful (indeed, they were described as neurotoxic ingredients in need of further investigation).

Before we go further into the dangers that of these substances pose, I might as well remind you that the more extreme diseases associated with these products are only likely to occur when exposed to them in large amounts. Unless you’re drinking Eternity like you would water, on a daily basis, for years, you probably don’t have to worry about developing cancer or Parkinson’s disease from your favorite fragrance alone. However, many of the materials that actually have been tested do show links to cancer, birth-defects, and central nervous system disorders. Evidence describing any possible risks of daily use is required, however, before we can make an accurate assessment. Right now the debate seems to be following the same trend as the aspartame (the artificial sweetener) controversy.

What we do know, however, is that these products are hazardoes to people with allergies or asthma, and their usage has become a problem for some. They may not be able to catch their breath when around certain fragrances, or may simply feel dizzy or light-headed. I’m sure all of us have experienced some sort of unpleasant feeling when around someone who wears too much perfume or cologne. Those who are more sensitive to such fragrances may find themselves in grave danger when exposed to such amounts. Contact dermatitis is another issue that is commly associated with certain fragrances, as the chances of someone being allergic to at least one of the ingredients is a certain perfume or cologne are comparatively high.

While I myself am not particularly concerned over the dangers of wearing a modern fragrance, I would probably prefer to pay a little more for all-natural or fully-tested products. And, as more people become aware of the risks, the industry itself may be forced to reevaluate itself and decide whether it can continue the path it has chosen, or whether it needs to go back to its roots. I also imagine that governments may soon take a keener interest in regulating these products in the interest of consumer safety and public health. As towns are beginning to ban fragrances in certain public locations, we will be forced to decide whether or not we want to live in a world without the wonderful perfumes and colognes we are used to. Regardless of what happens, I’m pretty confident that the art of perfumery will always have a place in civilization.