The Hidden Toxins in Your Signature Scent

The allure of a signature scent is undeniable—sandalwood on skin, citrus over musk, the rush of identity in a single spritz. Fragrance has always felt like magic. But behind the olfactory romance lies a sobering truth: many perfumes and colognes are chemical cocktails containing substances linked to serious health concerns.

Sales of body sprays alone surged 94% last year, according to 2024 data from Circana, making fragrance the fastest-growing sector in the beauty industry. But as demand rises, so do questions about what we’re actually putting on—and absorbing into—our bodies.

Researchers have long flagged phthalates, synthetic chemicals often used in plastics, as a red flag. In fragrances, phthalates act as solvents and stabilizers, helping scents cling to skin and last longer. But studies link them to endocrine disruption, meaning they interfere with hormones that regulate everything from reproduction to brain development. One 2021 review found strong evidence linking prenatal exposure to testicular malformation, reduced sperm quality, and even testicular cancer.

And phthalates are just the start. Parabens and phenols, also common in fragrances, have been tied to infertility and hormone-related cancers. The trouble is, you’d be hard-pressed to find these listed clearly on product labels. Thanks to trade secret protections, companies often group them under vague terms like “fragrance” or “parfum.”

“It’s what you’re selling a lot of the time, so you don’t want to disclose what’s in it,” said Julia Varshavsky, a public health researcher at Northeastern University.

For those looking to reduce exposure, experts recommend a few strategies: Seek out products labeled “phthalate-free,” and use tools like the Environmental Working Group’s Healthy Living app to vet specific brands. Avoid layering multiple scented products, which compounds exposure. And when in doubt, less is more.

There’s good news, though—phthalates don’t accumulate in the body the way other toxins do. According to Dr. Stephanie Eick of Emory University, “Your body can clear them out in less than a day.” That means reducing exposure can have immediate benefits, especially for pregnant people and children—those most vulnerable to these chemicals.

Scent has always been about more than smell—it’s memory, desire, ritual. But we can hold both things at once: the beauty and the burden. Knowing what’s in our products doesn’t ruin the experience. It just makes it real. And that’s the kind of honesty we owe ourselves.