Over 3,000 chemicals can legally hide under the single word “fragrance” or “parfum.” Many are linked to hormone disruption, allergies, and reproductive toxicity — yet companies don’t have to disclose them.
A 2018 study found phthalates and synthetic musks from fragrances in human tissue and breast milk.
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Source: Environmental Working Group; Environmental Health Perspectives (2018)
RightShop takeaway: If a label lists “fragrance” without ingredients, it’s a red flag, not a feature.
2. LONGEVITY LAB
Air Out Your Home. Seriously.
Indoor air pollution can be 2–5× higher than outdoors — thanks to cleaning products, candles, and air fresheners. The U.S. EPA finds that even small ventilation changes reduce VOC buildup associated with fatigue, headaches, and immune stress.
Tip: Swap scented candles for beeswax or soy. Open windows for 10 minutes a day.
Source: EPA (2022)
Gorgeous smells are often associated with luxury but what is real luxury? As Shreya Vohora reminds us true luxury is how we feel in our spaces. The biological feeling - how the space interacts with your nervous system, your hormones, your circadian rhythm, your innate sense of safety.
Reproductive epidemiologist & author of Count Down, Dr. Swan is an award winning scientist who has published over 200 medical articles addressing the impact of chemical exposure on reproductive health and child development.
Her research links everyday chemicals — phthalates, BPA, and ingredients in plastics and cosmetics — to declining fertility and hormonal disruption globally.
“We are seeing alarming declines in sperm count, reproductive health, and developmental outcomes — and much of it traces back to everyday chemical exposure.” — The Guardian, 2021
Thanks for linking to that newsletter! I wish more people were talking about the downside of synthetic fragrance.