Perfumes and essential oils in cosmetics

When a scent enters the nose, our brain decides within fractions of a second whether something is digestible or perhaps harmful to our health. Pleasant smells awaken the desire for it, unpleasant smells cause disgust and warn us of possible dangers to our health. This applies to food and cosmetics as well as to odours from the environment. With smells we associate positive but also negative memories. The imprinting already takes place in childhood. Many Germans, for example, are fond of the scent of vanilla because they grew up with the smell of artificial vanillin.

26 Fragrances in cosmetic products have been subject to declaration for about 6 years if they exceed a certain concentration. Among them there are a number of candidates that cause allergies. Fragrances such as oak moss (Evernia prunastri extract), tree moss (Evernia furfuracea extract), isoeugenol and cinnamal are very strong allergens, less potent but still problematic are cinnamyl alcohol, hydroxycitronellal and lyral (trade name, INCI: Hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde). The other fragrances that must be declared are farnesol, citral, citronellol, geraniol, eugenol, coumarin, amyl cinnamyl alcohol, benzyl cinnamate and methyl heptin carbonate (INCI: Methyl 2-octynoate), which are far less common allergens than the ones mentioned above. Nevertheless, people with highly sensitive skin should also avoid cosmetics containing these fragrances.

But if the allergenic properties of fragrances are known, why are they still used in cosmetic products?  

On the one hand cosmetics are deodorized because of the penetrating smell of certain raw materials (who hasn't smelled cold pressed Argan oil and thought that it really smells... unpleasant). On the other hand, the smell of a product also gives us a feeling: soaps usually smell hygienically like rosemary and sage, shower gel sporty fresh like citrus, toothpaste mint-fresh like pure breath, sun cream like coconut and face cream like roses, oranges and vanilla. The supposed effect of a cosmetic product is underlined by the scent. We combine fresh, lemony scents with youthfulness and heavy, warmer scents with luxury.

So the nose buys with you. Odours can have an enormous positive influence on our well-being. Lavender scent, for example, has a balancing and calming effect and promotes sleep. In aromatherapy these findings are used and natural essential oils are used medically. Some essential oils (such as rosemary, thyme or cloves) also serve as natural preservatives.
But: Certain fragrances can give us an idea of an effect or property that the product may not have at all. That's not dangerous for now. It's only annoying when we buy an expensive anti-wrinkle cream that smells pleasantly fresh and youthful of citrus fruits, but the hoped-for effect does not appear even after months of use. It only becomes dangerous for highly sensitive people who react to certain fragrances with allergies. In high concentrations, allergenic fragrances can lead not only to redness and irritation but also to shortness of breath. Many essential oils are dangerous and therefore taboo for pregnant women, babies and toddlers as well as epileptics.

Our advice:

Do not just buy a cosmetic product according to its smell, but evaluate all ingredients according to their effectiveness. If you have sensitive skin, it is best to avoid cosmetics containing fragrances altogether, because severe allergies can develop even in later years. It should be noted that cosmetics labelled "fragrance-neutral" may well contain fragrances, perfume oils or essential oils. Cosmetics labelled "fragrance-free" or "fragrance-free", on the other hand, do not contain fragrances.

A little tip: The smell of grapefruit should make us appear 4 years younger. So, use a splash of perfume or a deodorant with a note of grapefruit and leave the anti-wrinkle cream overloaded with fragrances on the shelf! There are now also many effective and perfume-free alternatives that can be used.

Picture credits: #267299510 ©Minerva Studio (www.shutterstock.com)