You may not love the scent of your coworker’s hand cream, or the perfume wafting across the aisle on the train. But for some people, fragrances like those can trigger a range of very real symptoms, according to a new Australian study, from migraines to difficulties with breathing.
Perfumes contain a mix of several ingredients that include a complex blend of natural essences as well as synthetic chemicals. The average perfume or cologne contains about 14 secret chemical ingredients that are capable of triggering mild to severe allergic reactions in fragrance-sensitive individuals.
Fragrance sensitivity can be defined as an irritation or an adverse reaction to chemicals in a perfume or other scented products such as air fresheners and cosmetics. Sensitivity to strong odors can make allergic people severely ill. People with asthma or other respiratory illness can be more susceptible to fragrance allergies compared to healthy individuals.
Some common symptoms of perfume allergy include the following:
- mild to severe headache
- skin irritation, itching, and rashes
- sneezing, coughing and runny nose, also called allergic rhinitis
- breathing difficulties, dizziness, and fatigue
- muscle aches
- watery, red, and itchy eyes
- wheezing
- inability to concentrate
- swelling – or angioedema
- nausea and vomiting
I’m Fabulous Cosmetics has 2 fabulous organic fragrance oils.
St Barth Beach Fragrance oil and Lemonade Fragrance oil.
