Is your 'natural' fragrance masking a stink?
If as a consumer you are keen on understanding what goes into the products you use, you may want to know where your favourite 'fragrance' comes from and if it's really causing a stink in your body.
If you've bought a product that called itself 'natural' and assumed it meant it came from a natural source, you're not the only one. Many consumers get taken in by a clever play of words that give the impression that fragrances added to a product have come directly from a garden. But the truth is most companies conveniently use fragrances that were created in a laboratory and term it 'natural'. These lab created scents often hide toxic ingredients that do not need to be disclosed by labelling laws and go undisclosed because of loopholes that are yet to be plugged by authorities. Experts now rate fragrance as the leading cause of skin inflammation cautioning consumers against buying chemically derived scents. Studies have revealed that toxic ingredients added to fragrances, like phthalates and petroleum derivatives, have disastrous effects on health and well-being but companies insist their fragrances are a 'trade secret' and cannot be revealed on packaging labels. These companies get away with simply adding the term 'perfume' or 'fragrance' to their list of ingredients cleverly masking all the toxic ingredients with which the fragrance has been made.
In order to make it easier for consumers to identify ingredients and make better purchasing decisions we've put together an easy-to-remember list of commonly used terms as well as what they actually stand for.
'Natural Fragrances' are often blends of isolates that are extracted from natural raw materials
NATURAL FRAGRANCE:
A 'natural fragrance' is a blend of natural isolates - single odour chemicals that have been extracted from natural raw materials like a botanical plant or flower by using the process of distillation. These are called natural isolates as they only undergo a physical means for collection and no chemical alteration.
SYNTHETIC FRAGRANCE:
A fragrance that is derived from manmade materials often in a laboratory. They invariably contain toxic ingredients like phthalates, solvents, dyes and petroleum derivatives. Often listed on products as 'Parfum', 'Perfume' or simply as 'Fragrance' or 'Nature Identical'.
ESSENTIAL OILS:
Essential oils are whole plant compounds that are extracted from plants and generally considered safe to use. However, because they are expensive to produce they are often not the preferred source of fragrance for large companies. It must also be mentioned here that a number of natural essential oils may also cause irritation to the skin owing to their natural concentration and must always be added to a formulation by an expert. 
Our Turmeric & Apricot Face Mask does not contain an added fragrance but does contain the natural scent of its ingredients
FRAGRANCE-FREE:
These products have no added fragrance but do sometimes contain a hint of fragrance from it's ingredients hence they they are not considered odour-free.
PERFUME/PARFUM:
Perfume or Parfum often contain alcohol, petroleum, coal tar, animal secretions and may or may not contain a natural scent derived from flowers, plants, fruits or resins.
At Kanai, we prefer to use certified essential oils that are carefully added to a formulation by experts so as to create a pleasing scent while also bringing you the benefits that only real botanics can bring you. It must be mentioned here that essential oils hold a number of therapeutic benefits as well and are known to positively affect not just the body but also the mind. We also do our best to offer those who suffer from skin ailments or are sensitive to fragrances an option to maintain healthy looking skin by offering products that have no fragrance added.
Our Aloe Vera & Manjishtha face wash, Apricot Kernel oil and Turmeric & Apricot face mask have no added fragrances and are safe to use by those suffering from chronic skin ailments.