Your perfume collection could have some major issues, from hormone disruption to cancer risks
An appalling health warning has been issued over what could actually be in fake perfumes. People can sometimes feel tempted by the cheap price – but lab experiments reveal these scents could actually contain human urine.
Many feel that high-class perfumes offer an air of luxury, along with a premium price tag to match. That sees some turn to budget alternatives.
Yet people often overlooking the quality of what they’re actually getting. And buying these knock-off, discounted items might not just leave you disappointed in what you receive – it could even damage your health.
Ant Robinson, fragrance expert at price comparison website HalfPricePerfumes, warned: “Laboratory tests of samples seized by The Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit have shown that fake perfume can contain human urine. Yes, you heard right – urine.”
Aside from the obvious downsides to this, urine also holds a number of bacteria and other potentially harmful microorganisms. This leads into Ant’s second point.
Counterfeit perfumes lack the preservatives and chemicals that stop bacteria from growing in higher-end perfume bottles. When thrown together with unsanitary manufacturing conditions and low-quality ingredients, it can all contribute to the amount of bacteria in your perfume.
The expert noted that rashes, redness and eczema are among the standard risks of counterfeit perfumes. He said: “They can be loaded with harmful chemicals that simply aren’t safe for contact with the skin, such as formaldehyde, phthalates and artificial musks.
“They might even contain allergens that can trigger a reaction. But as the ingredients are rarely labelled accurately, you won’t know until it’s too late.”
Ant explained that some of the chemicals, such as phthalates, can even disrupt your body’s natural hormone production and endocrine system while the artificial musks can mimic oestrogen too. Formaldehyde and Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons commonly found in counterfeit perfumes can also increase the risk and development of cancer.
The expert warned: “Exposure to formaldehyde has been linked to an increased risk of nasopharyngeal cancer, leukaemia and other types of cancer. Exposure to Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons has been linked to an increased risk of lung cancer, skin cancer and other types of cancer.”
Ant urged people to steer clear of counterfeit perfumes and instead make use of seasonal sales like Black Friday. Or use price comparison websites to find more budget-friendly perfume options.
He added: “Nineties fragrances are making a comeback. So, you’ll be on trend and saving money if you decide to pick up any of these old classics.”
