Fisher, BE

Environmental Health Perspectives [Environ. Health Perspect.], vol. 106, no. 12, pp. A594-A599, Dec 1998

Fragrance is ubiquitous in nature and plays a major role in both helping animals and humans locate food and enticing them to reproduce. Consumers' fascination with scent has increased with the manufacture of a multitude of scented "personal" products including cosmetics, lotions, soaps, oils, and perfumes. people who claim to be adversely affected by scented products may actually be reacting to other chemicals in the products or in their environments. The process of developing fragrances is a complex mixture of chemistry and art. Not only must the chemicals used be compatible, the combination must also be aesthetically pleasing to the nose. Synthetic ingredients are less expensive than natural ingredients, and can be created year-round, while the supply of natural ingredients depends on season and availability.