Perfume. It has been used to beguile, seduce, and express individuality for centuries – dating back to well before the time of Cleopatra – but modern fragrance is a world away from the ancient perfumer’s art.
Natural or synthetic?
Most fragrances today are a combination of hundreds of different ingredients: some are natural elements, but most are synthetic. Some of those chemicals, for instance methylene chloride, may even be carcinogenic. Synthetics are used because they are far less expensive to produce. Fragrance industry “noses” also argue that synthetic ingredients do not vary, as natural elements can, differing subtly according to the soil they were grown on, the climate, and the speed with which they were processed.
A fragrance may contain as many as 200 different chemical ingredients, and because of the highly competitive nature of the business, it is impossible to tell what’s in a fragrance – listing ingredients is tantamount to giving away a multi-million-pound formula. Some consumer groups, however, are lobbying for labeling on fragrance, so that people with chemical sensitivities know what to avoid.
Make it up
Fragrance has become so much a part of our image that it is almost inconceivable to think of giving it up: a spritz to boost confidence, a dab for romance, a splash to cool down. It is up to you to decide your priorities and whether, instead of buying another bottle of perfume, you might like to have fun making your own.
Some natural food stores, meanwhile, carry all-natural fragrances from companies including Dr. Hauschka and the Australian brand, Natio.