Can Fragrances Impact The Health Of Your Baby?

How can fragrances impact the health of your baby? 

Have you heard of the fragrance loophole? Fragrances are not just one ingredient, it’s actually a group of over 3000 chemicals. This enables manufacturers to list dozens if not hundreds of ingredients under the term fragrance. 

Fragrances are found in many baby cleaning products and baby care products from baby lotions and baby wipes, to diaper cream and baby shampoo and they are used to mask the odor of chemical ingredients inside a product.

Here are a couple of examples: 

For example, a sweet synthetic floral fragrance may be used to cover up the gross “rotten egg” smell associated with surfactants which are chemical compounds that are regularly used in cleaning products.

Example 2 – Natural ambergris, which is one of the most valuable raw materials in perfumery, actually comes from sperm whale vomit. It was secreted in the ocean and used for centuries – now it is synthetically recreated  – meaning chemicals! Typically alcohols, and phthalates which help the scent last longer. 

Example 3 – Castoreum is an anal secretion beavers use to mark their territories. It also happens to smell like vanilla, and is used as a fragrance.. But when diluted in alcohol, this substance picks up more pleasant, musky and fruity nuances. 

Example 4- Unscented products are formulated to have no smell but contain ingredients that have a smell but contain fragrances that neutralize the smell.

Now, what do fragrances do to your baby’s skin?

First, a HUGE number of chemicals hiding under the term “fragrance” means A LOT of different ways that affect and irritate your baby’s skin.

Fragrances have been found to trigger asthma symptoms, eczema flare-ups, skin irritations, hormone disruption, and the development of other allergies. Not to mention, fragrances are a carcinogen. 

Think about how many times you wipe your baby with your “chamomile”  scented baby wipes, or how many times you smother their skin with a “floral” scented baby lotion? 

When it comes to you and your child, the health problems that come from exposure to chemicals is definitely not something you want to ignore. 

It’s best to check the ingredients list for: fragrance, parfum, or perfume. If the product contains this, you know you should be avoiding it! On a side note, even if a product says ‘unscented’ it still contains fragrances so do not rely on that!

Choose baby-safe, water-free products that are 100% all natural instead. Only water-free products can be chemical-free!