Don’t Stand So Close To Me…..

That lovely smell of sweet perfume!  How many times have you sat in a car with someone who seems like they poured the entire bottle of perfume over their head or been in an elevator with someone who just reeked of cologne?   How many times have you smelled the perfume or cologne of somebody who just casually walks by you in a store or even on the street?  There’s nothing like getting a whiff of chemicals drifting in the fresh air! Once you smell someone else’s fragrance, it has entered your system.  This is why I have to say, ”DON'T STAND SO CLOSE TO ME!”

I am constantly advocating that you read the labels of what you put in your mouth to avoid chemicals that are in our foods.  You must also read the label of the items that you put on your skin.  Woman today soak up over 5lbs of beauty products each year.  The reason is because the skin is the biggest organ on the body and whatever you put on it gets absorbed into your system.   In our grandparents’ generation, the amount of chemicals in personal care products was measurably less.  The personal care products that we use today are not the same as the ones our grandparents’ used.  A lot of what's toxic to the environment and our bodies was produced after World War II.  The amount of chemicals in today's personal care products boggles the mind!   What’s even worse is the fact that these chemicals are NOT regulated by our government or any other independent agency.  Why…you ask?  The reason is because our government doesn’t have the time or the manpower to test every new chemical that comes onto the market.  What this means is that any perfume or cologne manufacturer is free to use whatever ingredient they want without approval by any governmental agency.  As a consequence, you and I have to play detective and read labels before we put something on our skin.  I decided to see what the ingredients were in, what many years ago, used to be my favorite perfume……

Elizabeth Arden (5^th Avenue):  Alcohol Denat, Fragrance (Parfum), Water (Aqua), Benzophenone-2, BHT, Propylene Glycol, FD&C Yellow No. 5, D & C Orange No 4, D & C Red No. 33, FD&C Blue No.1

Now it’s time to look up some of these ingredients in book, “What’s In Your Food?” by Bill Statham:

Benzophenone-2	Fixative, UV absorber	Photo allergic reactions; contact sensitivity; toxic when injected; toxic to aquatic organisms
BHT	Preservative	Chronic hives, dermatitis, fatigue, asthma, aggressive behavior, bronchospasm, may affect stomach, liver, kidneys and reproduction: possible carcinogen, toxic to aquatic organisms.
Propylene Glycol	Carrier or extraction solvent Humectant	Skin and eye irritation, dry skin; respiratory immune, skin and neurotoxicity, depression and kidney damage in animals.
FD&C Yellow No. 5	Coloring	Dermatitis, concentration difficulties, depression, hay fever, learning difficulties, headache, hives, asthma, skin rash, behavioral problems, swelling of lips and tongue, anaphylaxis, insomnia, confusion.
D&C Orange No 4	Colorant	Can cause health effects including skin rash, allergic reactions, asthma
D&C Red No. 33	Colorant	“               “
FD&C Blue No. 1	Coloring	Asthma, hay fever, allergic reactions, caused tumors in animal studies.

Is it me or is this absolutely insane!!!!!  I not only don’t want chemically infested perfumes and colognes on my body, but I don’t want to smell the perfume YOU are wearing.  Remember, what I said above, that whenever you smell something, it has already entered your system.  There is no reason to wear perfume or cologne.  Please…repeat after me…clean has no scent, clean has no scent, clean has no scent!

If you feel you absolutely cannot go without wearing perfume or cologne, there are plenty of natural and essential oils you can wear.  These are nontoxic, safe and readily available at your local health food store.  If you decide to keep wearing your favorite cologne and/or perfume even after seeing the dangerous chemicals on the ingredient list, please do me a favor and  …..”DON’T STAND SO CLOSE TO ME!”

Don't touch the bottles on the vanity!

(This is my opinion, protected by my First Amendment Right of Freedom of Speech)

References:

Statham, Bill “What’s In Your Food,” Running Press Book Publishers, Philadelphia: 2006

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