We have written at length about the effects of fragrance on human health and the importance of choosing naturally fragrance-free products.

This is even more essential today, as the onslaught of synthetic chemical burden continues to increase in the environment, our homes, workplaces, schools, farms, and other public spaces.

When you see the word fragrance or parfum in an ingredient list, it is a proprietary blend of dozens to hundreds of undisclosed chemicals never tested for safety.[1]

Fragrance chemicals are considered a top allergen and are endocrine (hormone) disruptors, asthmagens (cause asthma), neurotoxins (impact the brain), obesogens (cause metabolic syndrome and make it impossible to lose weight), and carcinogens (cancer-causing ingredients).

Fragrance is not something you want in your home, especially if you have children or anyone who is immunocompromised or chronically ill.

Yet, if you don’t live alone, it can take some convincing to get everyone on board with going fragrance-free, and that’s what this article is all about.

Here, you’ll find a quick guide to the documented harmful effects of fragrance on human health, who is most at risk, what types of products to avoid, and what to use instead.

Why Fragrances Are Some Of The Sneakiest And Most Harmful Household Chemicals

Of all the household chemicals we are exposed to daily, fragrance is definitely one of the worst—in terms of its health effects and deceptive reputation.

We’ll get into the health effects of fragrance shortly, but first, I want you to understand why fragrances are so deceptive, even to highly educated, health-conscious people:

#1: Despite the singular ingredient name “fragrance”, these formulas are made from over 5000 ingredients, none of which must be disclosed on labels.[1]

#2: Fragrances are marketed as wholesome, healthy, and clean, with no warning labels regarding their ill health effects.

#3: Fragrances are addictive. Fragrances access many of the same parts of the brain as addictive food additives, causing an emotional and even physical attachment to their signature toxic scents. 

Note: This is one reason people resist eliminating their fragranced products. 

It’s also why we don’t ask you to throw anything away in our Toss the Toxins Course. Instead, we recommend removing fragranced products to an outbuilding or in a sealed container in the garage to improve your home's air quality, so you can see how your body responds to the removal. We don't realize how much these products impact us until they are removed. 

Learn more in: The Emotional Attachment To Fragrance

#4: Even natural fragrances should be treated as suspect. If you’ve read our article on natural flavors, the same applies to most natural fragrances. They may come from natural sources, but the synthesis they undergo creates a less-than-natural end product that can be just as bad as synthetic fragrance.

For example, one study analyzed 25 top-selling products and found that the “green”, natural, and organic fragranced products emitted just as many hazardous chemicals as regular fragranced products.[2] 

#5: Essential oils can be problematic. Essential oils are very concentrated and can be medicinal when used and processed appropriately. 

Unfortunately, if processed using solvents or through plastic tubing, harmful chemicals become a part of the ingredient list. 

In addition, we know certain essential oils are endocrine disruptors and should not be used around children.[3] 

Also, terpene-containing essential oils can react with ozone, creating harmful VOCs like formaldehyde in the air.[4] So, if you live in an area with ozone alerts or use an ozone air purifier (and if you do, read this article!), essential oils should be used cautiously.*
 
The good news is, you have a choice!

Your best defense is to select naturally fragrance-free products for cleaning, personal care, cosmetics, baby care, candles, crafting, hair care, and other household products.

Additional Info On Essential Oils & Going Fragrance-Free

All this is why we initially recommend going fragrance-free when Tossing the Toxins to Create a Healthy Home. 

This removal includes all products with harmful ingredients, including non-organic essential oils processed with solvents. And, temporarily, even wildcrafted and organic essential oils processed without solvents are removed because essential oils are so concentrated, can cause an inflammatory response, and have been shown to hijack the healing process. 

In addition, if processed with plastic tubing, it has been found that organic essential oils become contaminated with phthalates. 

After at least a month to six weeks of avoidance of all fragrances (if all people in the family are healthy), introduce products with wildcrafted or organic essential oils processed without solvents and plastics.

If there is no reaction, consider each essential oil product you wish to use carefully.   

Related Reading: Stop using The F-Word

What Effects Does Fragrance Have On Our Health? 

As mentioned in the introduction, fragrances can be extremely harmful to human health in the short and long term.

Over 5000 fragrance ingredients are used in proprietary scents developed for laundry, cleaning, personal care, candles, air fresheners, perfumes, and more, with no regard for human safety.

These scents are also designed to linger in the air, drop on our furniture and rugs, and impregnate fabrics, making them a chore to get rid of.

Fragrances are considered one of the world’s top allergens and are typically chock-full of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) that disrupt natural hormone balance in all sexes.

Here are some of the documented harmful effects of fragrances on human health.

The Short-Term Health Effects Of Fragrance

Although fragrance is widely recognized as a top allergen and lung irritant, and loads of research proves this, the EPA insists fragrance safety is a controversial topic!

Perhaps that’s because fragrance chemical lobbyists, many of whom make their products from petroleum, wield tremendous power. We hope this will soon change and create greater transparency based on the research.

But you be the judge. 

Here are some of the documented short-term health effects of fragrance.[5][6][7]8]

• Asthma
  
• Brain fog
  
• Congestion
  
• Coughing
  
• Dizziness
  
• Headaches and migraines
  
• Heart rate and blood pressure changes
  
• Hives
  
• Hormonal disruption
  
• Itchy watery eyes
  
• Nausea
  
• Metabolic syndrome
  
• Shortness of breath
  
• Sick building syndrome
  
• Skin sensitivities like rashes
  
• Sneezing
  
• Throat irritation
  
• Wheezing

This is not an exhaustive list of short-term health effects. 

People with chemical sensitivities, lung diseases, and other conditions may experience other symptoms from fragrance exposure.

The Long-Term Health Effects Of Fragrance

As discussed in: Fragrance Is The New Secondhand Smoke | Eliminate Fragrance To Improve Your Health, fragrance is almost everywhere via active or passive (secondhand) exposure.

This constant exposure can create long-term ill health effects over weeks, months, and years. 

This is especially true for those who live with or work with people who use a lot of scented products or perfume, air fresheners or plug-ins, scented laundry soap, etc.

We—the people are our regulatory bodies—really do need to consider fragrances like secondhand smoke in terms of their short—and long-term health effects.

Some of the proven and potential long-term health effects of fragrance chemicals include:[9][10][11][12][13]

• ADD/ADHD
  
• Allergic conditions
  
• Autism
  
• Cognitive issues
  
• Chronic lung disease
  
• Diabetes
  
• Hormonal imbalance affecting fertility and development
  
• Hormone-driven cancers
  
• Liver cancer
  
• Neurological conditions
  
• Obesity
  
• Pregnancy complications
  
• Skin sensitization and chronic skin conditions

What do all these conditions have in common? Endocrine-disruption.

We tend to think of endocrine disruption as being only related to reproductive hormones, such as estrogen and testosterone.

However, the endocrine system governs so many aspects of health related to metabolic function, cardiovascular health, respiratory function, brain health, energy production, fertility, and more.

Many fragrance chemicals are also neurotoxic, meaning they affect the brain and nervous system, hence the associations with ADD, ADHD, autism, and cognitive issues.

As this issue gets more press, we will see more studies emerging about the detrimental effects of fragrance chemicals. 

Given the sheer volume of chemicals (over 5,000 and growing), it will take some time, but you don’t have to wait to protect yourself and your family! 

Take action by eliminating fragrance from your home now—we’ll show you how it's coming up.

Who is Most At Risk When Using Fragranced Products? 

Although the risks of long-term fragrance exposure can affect anyone, the following are most at risk when using fragranced products:

• The fetus in the womb  
  
• Babies and young children, due to their underdeveloped organs and systems
  
• People with asthma and chronic lung conditions such as COPD
  
• Those who are immune-compromised
• Anyone with cancer
  
• Those with hormonal imbalances or chronic conditions
  
• Anyone with chemical sensitivity

Related reading: Best Cleaning Products For Asthma Sufferers

What Types of Products Should I Be Avoiding?

Unlike other harmful chemicals, fragrances are easy to identify just by using your nose.

If a product has a scent, it likely contains fragrance chemicals and should be avoided.

Some examples of fragranced products include:

• Air fresheners
  
• Baby products
  
• Cat litter
  
• Candles
  
• Cleaning products
  
• Cosmetics
  
• Crafting and art supplies
  
• Dish soap
  
• Dish detergent
  
• Essential oils made with fragrance (check ingredients)
  
• Hair care products
  
• Incense
  
• Laundry products
  
• Odor remover sprays
  
• Perfume and colognes
  
• Personal care products like cleansers, soaps, toners, serums, etc.
  
• Pet products, including shampoos, sprays, odor removers, etc.
  
• Plug-ins
  
• Stain removers
  
• Trash bags

Also, as strange as it may sound, we recommend steering clear of “unscented” laundry products.

Unfortunately, these products often use scent-masking chemicals to achieve that neutral smell, many of which are just as bad as fragrance chemicals.

Instead, look for naturally fragrance-free products made from human-safe, biodegradable ingredients.

Get more helpful tips and tools in:

• Our Favorite Fragrance-Free Personal Care Products
  
• The Best Fragrance-Free Cleaning Products & Alternatives
  
• How To Remove Synthetic Fragrance From Your Home
  
• Men’s Fragrance-Free Product Recommendations
  
• The Smart Shopper’s Guide To Safe And Healthy Candles
  
• 5 Best Natural And Fragrance-Free Laundry Detergents

Do Healthy Scented Products Exist?

If a product has a natural scent that comes from pure water-based ingredients, such as whole natural herbs or plants like chamomile or lavender, or infusions like floral water, that’s fine.

Essential oils, with their potent concentration, are nature's gifts that have served as medicinal aids for millennia.

Always choose 100% organic or wildcrafted steam-distilled oils processed without plastics. 

Their use in the home requires wisdom and caution. We recommend professional guidance to ensure safe usage and avoid endocrine-disrupting or terpene-containing oils that react with ozone.

Think of it this way: 

• Best: Naturally fragrance free
  
• Better: Pure wildcrafted or organic essential oils that are not processed with solvents or with plastic tubing and are not endocrine disruptors or contain terpenes that react with ozone
  
• Worst: Synthetic or “natural” fragrance
  

Why Is Branch Basics Different?

If you’re looking for a naturally fragrance-free cleaning and laundry product line made with 100% human-safe, biodegradable, plant and mineral-based ingredients, Branch Basics will be your new best friend.

Our product line is designed to be safe and effective for even the most sensitive individuals, including those with chemical sensitivity, babies, children, pets, and anyone who cares about creating a healthy fragrance-free home.

All Branch Basics products are MADE SAFE certified, EWG Verified or rated “A”, cruelty-free, third-party tested non-skin and eye irritants, and made with 100% biodegradable and naturally fragrance-free ingredients.

Check out our complete list of ingredients here.

Plus, they clean like none other! From windows to floors, dishes, produce, pets, carpets, stains, hands, bathrooms, kitchens, laundry, and everything in between, Branch Basics Concentrate takes care of it all.

Simply add water to our pure Concentrate to create All-Purpose, Bathroom, Streak-Free, Foaming Wash, and Laundry—everything you need to replace every toxic cleaning product in your home.

Learn more about how it works in How To Get Started With Your Branch Basics Starter Kit.

H2: Toss the Toxins With Branch Basics

We’ve covered a lot, so let’s recap:

• Fragrance is one of the world’s top allergens
  
• There are over 5,000 fragrance chemicals, many of which are endocrine disruptors, neurotoxins, asthmagens, obesogens, lung irritants, allergens, and even carcinogens or suspected carcinogens
• Natural fragrance isn’t always better, and should be avoided
  
• Look for naturally fragrance-free products made with human-safe and biodegradable ingredients
  
• Avoid unscented laundry detergents, as these often contain toxic scent-masking chemicals
  
• Improve your home’s air quality - Make a conscious choice to remove fragranced products from your home and choose fragrance-free products going forward

At Branch Basics, we are so passionate about helping people create healthier homes and bodies by removing harmful toxins, like fragrance.

Explore our blog for tips on everything from low-tox cleaning and clean beauty to healthy living and food as medicine.

Learn our step-by-step process for creating a non-toxic home with our founders in the Branch Basics Toss The Toxins Online Course.

Ready to start cleaning cleaner? Shop Branch Basics Starter Kits, Laundry Detergent, and plastic-free Dishwasher Tablets.

Finally, join our tribe on social @branchbasics for community, tips, recipes, and resources.

References:

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/materials-science/fragrance
   
2. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3018511/
3. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321262 
   
4. https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/resources/fact-sheets/cleaning-products-indoor-air-quality 
   
5. https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/2023/07/what-fragrance 
   
6. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/toxic-perfumes-and-colognes/
   
7. https://health.osu.edu/health/general-health/how-fragrances-affect-health 
   
8. https://www.epa.gov/asthma/can-use-fragrances-indoors-cause-health-impacts 
   
9. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7218126/
   
10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK587442/
    
11. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/materials-science/fragrance
    
12. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8157593/
    
13. http://www.ewg.org/enviroblog/2014/08/expert-panel-confirms-fragrance-ingredient-can-cause-cancer