Scents and sensibility

tom

Oh dear , not another free plug on behalf of the British Fragrance Association members, there are getting to be so many of them. Juliet it seems is entirely unaware that there are many people around for whom this synthetic petrochemical based stuff is literally poison, as well as many others whose lives and bodies are damaged by them. All too often I can smell the tear gas propellants in the mix, never mind the formaldehyde and who knows what else. They are protected by secrecy law, and no way will the makers tell you what is in them, even if there is is a chemical that could be a killer and is not an aromatic but just part of the package.

joyce alderson

What an appallingly feckless article. As numbers of people with allergies and ill-health continue to rise, at an alarming rate, and more and more people are seeking to clear their homes of synthetic chemicals, the Spectator's 'Scents and Sensibily' article is completely out of touch.
For years now my friends and relatives have known that fragranced products are anathema to me, simply because they make me very ill. People who care want to give good, not frivolous and harmful presents. Who knows, perhaps the writer's chosen items are different from the majority of fragranced products and do not contain toxic, petro-chemicals. Nevertheless, I look forward to reading a better-researched and a more responsible aricle, perhaps entitled NO SCENTS MAKES GOOD SENSE.

Sue

I would like to ask Juliet Nicolson if she can imagine a life devoid of social contact? The scents that she is encouraging others to use in their homes and on their person are the reason why the ever increasing number of sufferers from Multiple Chemical Sensitivity are unable to socialise. No visitors, no visiting, no work, no shopping.
The components in these scents cause a wide range of effects on the central nervous system, from headache and joint pain through to dizziness and collapse.I would suggest that some research into MCS could lead to a far more enlightening article, but one that would not be welcomed by manufacturers of such consumer products.
Since only a minute amount of perfume can make me ill, I wonder whether the workers who are producing these toxic consumer goods are being unwittingly affected, as were asbestos workers decades ago.A time bomb the industries do not want to admit to.

Caroline

Try Googling "harmful chemicals in perfume". When you have read some of those articles, replace the word "harmful" with "carcinogenic" then with "hazardous", then gather all your bottles of perfume together, (along with your scented candles) and throw them out!!!