Woman six things you should know about fragrances: from natural ingredients to sensory effects

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Fragrances, composed of natural or artificial ingredients, cause different emotions through smell.We are going to review in six notes what ingredients contain, the sensory effects they cause, what they evoke, if the synthetic perfumes are harmful, what are ecological fragrances and the regulations in this regard.

1. Ingredients of a fragrance

The ingredients of a fragrance are usually natural or essential oils, although others contain solvents, stabilizers, solar or preservative filters.

As for natural ingredients, of the 250,000 species of plants, only 2,000 serve to perform perfume essences.Among the 2,000 species that serve we find flowers, herbs, spices, fruits, woods, roots, resins and leaves.

Animal extracts that are always used proceed from some fat.There are also chemically created perfumes and essences, which contain derivatives of oil, alcohol, coal.On the other hand, as all plants cannot be extracted, the aroma can also be imitated chemically.

This is not the only reason why laboratories for fragrance manufacture are necessary.To obtain a liter of essential oil, thousands of flowers are needed.The influence of the weather each season varys the availability of plants and before their scarcity or uncertainty, synthetic oils are used.They are probably not so delicate or concentrated, but consumption trends opt for the simplest and most fresh.

2. Sensory effects of perfume

The perfume can alter the mood, evoke moments, situations or people or cause a different feeling.

Sometimes, they are designed to mask an unpleasant smell or aroma, but others try to cause an impact on our mind, generate a sensation or attraction for something.

Fragrances can arouse sensations of creativity, clarity, freshness, softness, relaxation, well -being, attraction ... This is because the smell is directly connected to the limbic part of the brain, where memory and emotions are stored.Therefore, manufacturers tend to directly associate fragrances with the identity of the product.

A great example are clothing softeners.In supermarkets, many people, in addition to observing the label and packaging, open it to smell them and make their decision as customers.

And there are indicators that demonstrate which fragrances are more suitable for each use.The fruit, floral, sweet and clean smell is usually used in cosmetic or hygiene products in general.Floral aromas are used more in soaps and bathing products and deodorants usually have more mixed, more sophisticated and not so basic aromas.

A woman throwing perfume.Freepik

3. What evokes every fragrance?

As there are so many and so diverse, here are some references to the feelings they cause.

The lavender is soothing, relaxes the nerves, improves blood pressure and relieves headache.It has a herbal, sweet and floral aroma.

The cypress is energizing and combats anxiety with its slightly smoked and spicy aroma.

Jasmine improves bad mood, fights depression, revitalizes and brings confidence.It has a strong, romantic and sweet smell.

Salvia vigorizes, provides energy and fights fatigue.Improve sadness and depression.Its smell has warm, loved, spicy and strong reminiscent notes.

Citronella stimulates the state of alert and vigia and improves circulation.Its aroma is strong of lemon, but sharp and fresh.It is ideal for soap and natural cosmetics.

Chamomile decreases nerve tension, stress, insomnia and irritability.It is sweet, musk and amaderada.

4. Are synthetic perfumes harmful?

Synthetic perfumes do not have to be harmful, although potentially harm some people.They are also potentially harmful to the planet and consumers are increasingly aware of their responsibility in the election.

According to the Lentech company, a Dutch water treatments, phosphates in some of these perfumes cause them to grow algae uncontrolled, causing a decrease in oxygen and increasing toxins in the water, in which animals and plants live.

Among the possible perverse effects of the volatile components of the perfumes is air pollution, if elements such as oil or coal tar have been used.

In addition, some of the components of synthetic perfumes, cosmetic and hygiene products, both personal and home, have been found in fish and aquatic birds.

5. Ecological perfumes

They are those perfumes formulated naturally, with natural ingredients, in which extraction is carried out following natural methods.No solvents or synthetic or chemical products that may have an impact on the environment are used.

Chemical perfumes do not have the beneficial properties that natural essences or water with distilled extracts may have.

6. Industry Self -regulation

Fragrances must comply with the same regulations as cosmetic products and ingredients must be included in the label information.

The IFRA Practices Code (“International Fragrance Association”) includes, since 1973, recommendations of good practices in the modes of use, in the combination of ingredients, the amount and allowed fragrances and a list of which they are prohibited.

Currently, in the European Union, the list of the ingredients that make up the fragrances and can cause allergy amounts to 26 and must necessarily indicate on the label.The most sensitive people are pregnant women, children, immunosuppressed and older people.

In addition, the IFRA has already consigned 3,059 ingredients with possible carcinogenic, toxic effects on the reproductive system or allergies or sensitivity generators.

Some of the prohibited ingredients in fragrances or perfumes are acetaldehyde -which can affect the renal and reproductive system, nervous system and respiratory system -and benzofenone -considered as a hormonal disruptor and some studies relate it to some carcinogenic tumors -as well asIts derivatives: Benzofenon-1 and oxybenzofenone.

The IFRA and the RIFM (Fragance Material Research Institute) are voluntarily self -regulated and establish rules in which the chemical substances that can be used or recommended are listed.This regulation is in force in the United States, Canada and Europe.

The problem is that the big corporations and manufacturers are very jealous of their formulas (secret) and the special characteristics that make each of its fragrances.Therefore, it is common not to mention the ingredients they contain.But, on the other hand, more and more people are inclined to products that have natural, organic and local elaboration essences.

According to Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, when fragrance is indicated on the label, it is common to indicate the existence of synthetic products.

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