The iconic 90-year-old perfume Chanel No.5 is one of the most well known perfumes worldwide. Now, this world-famous perfume along with other famous brands such as Shalimar may soon be banned by the European Union after scientists found that some of the ingredients may cause allergies.
The proposed ban was brought to attention after an EU advisory committee identified 100 allergens regularly included in fragrances. Tree moss included in the list of allergens deemed unsafe provides for the signature woody notes in Chanel s most famous scent along with Dior s Miss Dior perfume.
If the recommendations are passed, manufacturers say that the scents of many leading brands would never smell the same, and in the future perfume makers would be left with a very limited palette of ingredients. It would be the end of beautiful perfumes if we could not use these ingredients," Francoise Montenay, non-executive chairwoman of Chanel, told Reuters.
Ironically, the perfumes are in trouble with the regulators because they ve tried to be natural. The more you use natural ingredients, the more there is a risk of allergies, Sylvie Jourdet of the French perfumer's society told the London Telegraph. Lemon, jasmine, bergamot all contain allergenics.
This is the most absurd thing I ve ever heard, says ACSH s Dr. Ruth Kava. People who have known allergies tend to stay away from whatever causes it. Why doesn t the EU ban peanuts too?