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Fragrance products can cross the blood brain barrier because of the strong connection between scent and memory. This means that fragrance chemicals can potentially affect, or maybe even damage, brain tissue.

It is EXTREMELY important to read labels. If "fragrance" is listed as an ingredient, it is safe to assume that the chemical formula contains toxins. But products labeled "unscented" can typically contain fragrances too. If you read the ingredients, you will usually find "masking fragrance" listed - and that masking fragrance most likely contains toxins as well.

Pineal gland damage and calcification
Remember, just because a scent is appealing -- does not mean it won't make you ill. And, lightly scented products can cause as much harm as heavily scented ones.

An Important Fact about Fragrance: The Food and Drug Administration oversees fragrances under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic act. Although the FDA has jurisdiction, they actually administer almost no control over fragrance products, allowing the fragrance industry to police itself. As a result, only about 16% of cosmetic products on the market have been tested for toxicity.

Six hundred or more chemical ingredients may be used in a single scent, and ninety-five percent of chemicals used in scents are derived from petroleum. Many chemicals used in scents (many designated as hazardous waste disposal chemicals) cause allergies and irritation, as well as cancer, nerve damage, and birth defects. Petroleum chemicals in perfumes are less expensive than the natural ingredients, so guess which one you get?Fragrances are now used in almost every cleaning, laundry, and personal-care product on the market.

In 1989, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health recognized 884 poisonous substances (many synthetically derived from petrochemicals) from a list of 2,983 chemicals used in the fragrance industry capable of causing cancer, birth defects, central nervous system disorders, allergic respiratory reactions, skin and eye irritations. According to the National Institute of Health, in view of the escalating incidence of cancer, as well as a 58% increase in asthma over the past decade, this information is crucial.

Did you know that benzaldehyde, a chemical known to cause kidney damage in humans is used in fragrances, and that benzyl acetate used in fragrances is linked to a cause of pancreatic cancer? That ethyl acetate is on the EPA Hazardous Waste list known as a carcinogenic, causing kidney and liver failure and it is used in fragrances?

This is one of the major suppliers to the perfume and food industry many of the chemicals they sell have to use the solvents of toluene, acetone, or chloroform.

The pineal gland is one of several areas not behind the blood brain barrier so it is very vulnerable to chemical substances.Pineal gland calcification and defective sense of direction. Homing Pidgeon with calcification on Pineal gland

Fragrance formulas are considered trade secrets, which means the companies do not have to tell anyone, including the FDA what is in those formulas. Only about 1,300 of the more than 5,000 materials for use in fragrances have been tested, and the testing did not include respiratory, neurological, or systemic effects. Are you getting the picture here? At last count in 1996, there were at least 40 million chemically injured people in the U.S. and medical records of a majority of those chemically injured were devoid of any respiratory problems or other health-related concerns. They had a steady work history and a solid psychological profile. These are people from all walks of life and who once had lucrative careers; Air Force pilots, teachers, professors, doctors, psychologists, nurses, chemists, government workers and legal secretaries, among others.

Perfume is composed of many of the same toxic chemicals found on the EPA’s and CERCLA’s hazardous waste lists, and one or all of which in combination with one another, cause when inhaled: “ventral nervous system disorders, dizziness, nausea, lack of coordination, slurred speech, drowsiness, irritation to the mouth, throat, eyes, skin, lungs and GI tract, kidney damage, headache, respiratory failure, ataxia, and fatigue, among other symptoms and illnesses,” Material Safety Data Sheets on each chemical confirm these findings. Many of the chemicals in perfumes have been shown to cause serious health problems and death in animals