©2016 The Media Desk

      Going in, The Media Desk is an old, half-drunken, half-crippled, ex-sportswriter. It is NOT a Medical Doctor, nor does it play one on TV (FDA disclaimer) and is NOT affiliated with any company mentioned. However, that being said. The Desk is very good at doing research, following leads, and, 'connecting dots'. If you want to see where this "bunny trail" went....

Go get some popcorn and settle in for a ride. We'll explain the snack reference later. And, ah, yeah, OK, if you're looking for a light, pun filled, and even entertaining read, you'll be much happier here: The Piltdown Man and a Tanya Tucker Song
... ... .... you have been warned:

Smelling profit....

We could call this one: "You are what you smell."
      Well, we could.
      The sense of smell is one of the most direct links to the brain. Whereas with sight and sound there are various filters and interpretive lobes involved with translating the input into information that the mind then deals with, scents don't travel that route. Instead, the information goes straight in, as is, and is then processed afterward. It can also create a "scent memory" in the olfactory center which is part of brain's limbic system which deals in those primitive emotions and instincts, and which you don't have direct conscious control of.
      Remember that little bit of trivia, it becomes very important later.

"This neural code begins with the nose’s sensory neurons. Once an odor molecule binds to a receptor, it initiates an electrical signal that travels from the sensory neurons to the olfactory bulb, a structure at the base of the forebrain that relays the signal to other brain areas for additional processing."
http://www.brainfacts.org (link below)

Maybe this piece should be: "The way to your wallet is through your nose."
      This is the Twenty First Century. Major commercial interests don't do anything in the long term just for the hell of it. If there isn't money in it one way or the other, it doesn't stick around.
      Which is where the bit we just went through about the sense of smell meets your checkbook.
      Everybody knows about "that new car smell". Well, somewhere back in time, that 'smell' was a combination of still new paint, slightly damp adhesive, fresh upholstery, and so on. Now. Well, now, it isn't:

For Cadillac, the new-car smell, that ethereal scent of factory freshness, is no longer just a product of chance. General Motors recently revealed that its Cadillac division had engineered a scent for its vehicles and had been processing it into the leather seats. The scent - sort of sweet, sort of subliminal - was created in a lab, was picked by focus groups and is now the aroma of every new Cadillac put on the road.
It even has a name. Nuance.
http://www.nytimes.com (link below)

      Now you can order spray cans of similar scents so your twenty year old high mileage heap can still smell like it's in the showroom.

"Blow your customers' nose's mind -
"We've got over 2,400 fragrances in our ever-growing library, including the perfect scent for your customers."
-http://www.scentair.com (link below)

      But it isn't just auto manufacturers that are engineering their scents to go in their cars, and, in many cases now, into their dealerships to get you in the mood to buy the thing.
      Various retail establishments have joined them, and many high end (and not so high end) retailers have begun using different custom aromas to enhance the shopping experience. You can also find "signature scents" in places like casinos where the first industrial sized 'air freshener' was installed in a building's HVAC system in 1991. There's also scents in unexpected places like a certain national bus line who uses the science behind it to, among other things, keep travelers calm.
      The companies that make it happen, and there are a lot of companies doing this, selling everything from a room size diffuser like you'd see in somebody's living room and they put two or three drops in to units that, as we mentioned, can cover hundreds of thousands of square feet through the ventilation system using products that come in convenient four liter jugs that only have to be replaced every six months or so.
      We have links to a few of the companies that sell these systems below for your amusement.

      And those companies know exactly what they are doing. One of them proclaims:
"Entice and inspire your shoppers! Scent influences mood and memory as well affects 75% of our emotions."
- http://aromatechsystems.com (link below)

      They know exactly what they are doing, and how to do it, and have a reasonable level of expectations for return on the dollar invested in the 'scenting machines', and sound effects as well. Which we will come back to in a moment.

Or we could call this article: "Your 'smeller' is lying to you."
      And thereby comes the rub.....
      ....and we will not mention the various offenders by name, if you go rooting through the various links below you can find all you want or need. And if you do a search through one of the better search engines (link to a non-G one below), you can find even more...
      ... ... what is it they are pumping out through the air conditioning for everybody to breathe in?

      Essential oils are generally safe when used in a sensible way (that may be the only pun in this one!). The oils are, after all, the basis for a majority of those ingredients labeled "natural flavors", and such terms.

TITLE 21--FOOD AND DRUGS
CHAPTER I--FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION..... Food Labeling
"The term natural flavor or natural flavoring means the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast..."
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov (full quote and link below)

      So while some of the scents being used may be, in fact, honest to goodness Essential Oils or other natural perfumes, most aren't. Which we'll look at in some retail blends in a moment.
      The simple fact is that the vast majority of these companies Do Not Disclose the ingredients in their 'scents'. In some cases, messages were posted on customer/user groups asking for things like the MSDS on the product, only to have a reply about the blend being proprietary and a "trade secret" and therefore not disclosed under current Federal Law. (see below for link to the regulation) And they don't have to, they are selling a product not directly intended for consumption. It's not like you're going to be breathing it in or anything.

      Take a deep breath now, later, you may not want to.

      And, as was stated, these companies don't do anything just for giggles. If they are hiding something, at least after a couple of reasonable requests, there is a reason they are hiding it.

"Yeah. And. So. ?"

      Let's drop back a few years to something that was at least rumored to be done in movie theaters and magazine ads. And to some degree, is still being done, but in a more up front way.
      Subliminal Advertising.
      Remember that? During a lull in the movie a frame or two that said something like "Popcorn" would flash on the screen. Now, the movie is going by at a standard frame per second rate of twenty four. Every Second of screen time is covered by twenty four separate images. If there is a five second close up of the actress's face when the monster comes through the door, you are seeing one hundred twenty individual pictures of her. If some unscrupulous marketing department took two of those frames out and put our "popcorn" frames in, you'd never even notice it. You might think you saw a blip in the picture, but maybe you didn't.
      However, your subconscious mind would have seen it. And, oh, yes, most likely the worker at the snack bar just so happened to have started a fresh batch of kernels in the popper so the smell would reinforce the image on the screen and, oh, boy, some popcorn and a cold drink sounds good right now, doesn't it?
          "Let me know if I miss anything in the movie while I run to the snack bar."

      In magazines and other print advertising, the famous example is the word "SEX" being airbrushed into places where it doesn't normally occur, such as on toys or in ice cubes.
      To be fair, there is a reasonable body of evidence to suggest that some such tinkering with the images was done, intentionally, and it is reasonable to assume that it was done with the intent to at least draw attention to the ad, if not directly sell the product in the ad. As we are still talking about some of the examples, it evidently worked in at least that way.

      Today, you could say that "paid ad placement" of products in movies and TV shows is basically the same thing.

      Just how effective any of the above are as to induce people to spend money on stuff they wouldn't otherwise purchase is open to discussion and beyond the scope of this article.

      Overt Subliminal Advertising, including subsonic audio, was banned in the UK in the late 1950's. While it is not directly banned in the US by Federal Law, the FCC does, well, they kind of say they don't approve of it, maybe.

Code of Federal Regulations
Title 47 - Telecommunication Volume: 4
Original Date: 2010-10-01
Title: Section 73.4250 - Subliminal perception.
Context: Title 47 - Telecommunication.
CHAPTER I - FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED). SUBCHAPTER C - BROADCAST RADIO SERVICES. PART 73 - RADIO BROADCAST SERVICES.
Subpart H - Rules Applicable to All Broadcast Stations.
§ 73.4250 Subliminal perception.
(a) See Public Notice, FCC 74-78, dated January 24, 1974. 44 FCC 2d, 1016; 39 FR 3714, January 29, 1974.
(b) See FCC Information Bulletin, “Subliminal Projection”, dated November 1977.
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2010-title47-vol4/xml/CFR-2010-title47-vol4-sec73-4250.xml (more below)

      Of course, the FCC doesn't have the bulletin from 1974 or 1977 online, they just say to reference it. Good luck finding it on a US Government site. However, there are hopefully reliable copies of it available, links below.

      Remember that bit about the sense of smell, and the direct link to the brain and various memories and emotions?
      And there was that trip to the popcorn stand in the lobby...

      Think about it.

      Scents, especially when you are not expecting them, and they are present at an almost imperceptible level, act directly on the center of the brain that triggers basic emotions including pleasure, the sex drive, anxiety and so on. If certain scents can convince that primitive area of the brain that say, "all is well, you're in a good place", half the battle to keep you in the casino and putting coins in the slot machine has already been won. Add to that an almost numbing background sound, usually described as an "A-minor chord", with certain 'exciting sounds' floating on top of it, such as the ubiquitous 'jackpot' trill even when nobody is playing a machine, with all the lights and glitz, and you have a recipe for a real money making enterprise. Be assured, none of this is by accident, it is a designed environment. And it is put together by experts to appeal most to their target demographic, whatever it is.

      We have been and are still talking about scents being pumped into the air conditioning. But that tone is designed with the same idea. And so is the lighting. It is all put in place with the end goal of manipulating human behavior.
      One can 'tune out' the sounds to some degree (or put in earplugs). You can look down so you don't see most of the lights. But how do you not breathe?

      To a lesser extent, the same can be said about the large chain store at the mall or the car dealer.

      But why would a large office complex do it when there are no customers coming in to spend money?

      Well. While some fragrances relax the individual and promote a sense of well being, or perhaps enhance the idea that you are having fun, others promote concentration and minimize the perception of fatigue. Or at least so some of the company's claim for their compounds as linked below.
      Is this fair to the 'worker bees' stuck in a cube pecking away at a keyboard while talking on the phone about accounts receivable?
      And, as we said before, at least one transportation company utilizes the scents before their customers even get on board in an attempt to make the journey more pleasant for everybody.

      Which brings to the table the fact that some people may not react to the scents as predicted. Others may display allergic reactions. And then there are potential long term health effects for exposures longer than the average casino customer or retail shopper experiences, such as the employees in those places.

      You do not have to look any further than the ingredients some of the other retail products that do disclose their ingredients. And some of them tout how they use 'natural scents' as well. And yes, some of their 'scents' are 'natural' as far as it goes. The preservatives and stabilizers in the stuff may be from an graduate school chemistry book, but the fragrance ingredient began life as some funny looking little flower.

      But, again, some of these companies Will Not disclose their ingredients. Air Wick® manufactured by Reckitt Benckiser (RB) does disclose their ingredients, but you have to go looking for it. Glade®, by SC Johnson, discloses theirs behind their main product page. Both make for some interesting reading if you get bored.

      For Instance, we'll look at an Air Wick liquid product in a pump bottle (no propellant):

AIR WICK® AQUA MIST - WILD LAVENDER & MOUNTAIN BREEZE
INGREDIENT - FUNCTION
Water - Diluent
Ethanol - Solvent
C12-15 Alcohols Ethoxylate - Nonionic Surfactant
Fragrance/Parfum - Fragrance
Linalool Fragrance - Component
Sodium Bicarbonate - Complexing/Sequestering Agent
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone - Fragrance Component
Coumarin - Fragrance Component
Benzisothiazolinone - Preservative
Methylisothiazolinone - Preservative
Silicone Emulsion - Antifoam
from:http://www.rbnainfo.com/productpro/ProductSearch.do?brandId=2&productLineId=56&searchType=PL&template=1 (link below)

      There is no reason to believe any other mass produced liquid product for wide-area dispersal in a large system would be significantly different as to the range of ingredients. They all need preservatives (some may have noticed our old friend Methylisothiazolinone from the "greatest hits list", see link below), fragrance, and so on.
      The other ingredients of note include:
Linalool is found in many spice and mint essential oils.
Coumarin: as in Lavender and 'grasses'
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone - a mildly toxic chemical used as a fragrance additive
Fragrance/Parfum: meaning any of a long list of chemicals that can go otherwise unlisted!
      Let's dig into the above. Yes two of them are components of many essential oils, some in greater percentages, some in much less. And, yes, many essential oils have individual parts that in high concentration may not be healthy, but you've got to remember that quote from the old time alchemist...."Sola dosis facit venenum" 'the dose makes the poison' - Paracelsus (see link below for more on the old master)
      However when linalool and coumarin are listed like they are above, it is most likely they are in their pure state and probably man made, like the alpha-iso... yeah, that. And NOT, nor are they likely to have ever been, an Essential Oil.
      Point of order. Chemically, the 'linalool' from the E.O. is identical to the substance from a laboratory. There is no difference. Your body cannot tell the difference. Both do exactly the same thing to you when you inhale it. Period. That's a fact. BUT! when the linalool comes to you from a drop of Coriander oil, it has at least a dozen other compounds to keep it company, and the drop is only half linalool.(analysis link below)

      Speaking of 'fragrance', there are over Three Thousand individual ingredients (link below to the complete list) that are covered by that term, which do not have to be listed separately if their purpose in the compound is simply to add scent, or to 'stabilize' the scent, etc. And many of those ingredients aren't funny looking little flowers, such as "alpha-Cyclohexylidene benzeneacetonitrile".

Chemical formula C14H15N, chemical number CAS#: 10461-98-0. Also called "Benzeneacetonitrile".
GHS Hazard Statements
H302: Harmful if swallowed [Warning Acute toxicity, oral - Category 4]
H411: Toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects [Hazardous to the aquatic environment, long-term hazard - Category 2
http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/66327#section=Top (link below)

      While it is also called peonile, it is NOT from the peony flower, it's from a factory.

"Scent warning list:" http://www.womensvoices.org/fragrance-ingredients/fragrance-chemicals-assigned-the-signal-word-warning-by-un-ghs/ (hotlinks below)
      and: "Table 13-4: Fragrance substances categorised as possible contact allergens." http://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/opinions_layman/perfume-allergies/en/figtableboxes/table-13-4.htm (link below)

      Who uses it?
      Well, Proctor and Gamble for one, here's their list: "http://www.pgproductsafety.com/productsafety/ingredients/Perfume_and_Scents.pdf "

      And it is in some of Nature's Garden products and supplies:
      This is one of their blends....

SNUGGABLE FRAGRANCE OIL
This accord begins with top notes of lily of the valley and violet, leading to balsamic notes, and finishes with base notes of lavender, gardenia, and amber.
(http://www.naturesgardencandles.com/snuggable-fragrance-oil)
And from the Material Safety Data Sheet for it includes... well guess.
Dangerous for the Environment. Toxic to aquatic organisms. Irritating to the skin. Harmful if swallowed. May be harmful if inhaled... etc
http://www.naturesgardencandles.com/mas_assets/theme/ngc/pdf_msds/Snuggable-MSDS.pdf (hotlinks below)

      Let's just say that one is from the "Dark Side" of the Garden.

      That mess was on ONE CHEMICAL, picked at random, from the list of 3,000, and an example of a commercial product.
      No, not all of them are harmful. But then again, not all of them are something that goes nicely in your tea in the morning.
      And again, IF your scent is really and truly a natural product, that won't kill you or your fish, why not list it openly and plainly on your label? Why would you hide it behind the term "proprietary ingredient" or just call it "fragrance", which amounts to the same thing?

      So, not only are you being influenced to spend money. You're quite likely being slowly poisoned AS you are spending your money, but at least you feel good about it because the scent of vanilla is reminding you of cookies at grandmother's house or something.

"Exploiting a good thing and counterfeiting."
-Frank F. (a friend of the Desk)
      The Desk's answer was: "the word 'sinister' comes to mind."

Is there a Conclusion?

      Yes.
      Believe it or not, yes.

      Whether you like it or not, whether you will admit it or not. You are being exposed to a wide range of chemicals every day. From aluminum in the artificial dyes in your food (that's what the word 'lake' means when used with a color), to hormone disrupting parabens, glycols, and phthalates in just about everything you eat or touch, and we haven't even mentioned what's in the water...
      You and your family are being actively poisoned for fun and profit, and the FDA cannot do anything about most of it because of the way it works with the non-food industries. (air fresheners are not food)
      For example, with the Cosmetics Board....

...(The Cosmetic Ingredient Review is an industry-sponsored organization that reviews cosmetic ingredient safety and publishes its results in open, peer-reviewed literature. FDA participates in the CIR in a non-voting capacity.)
http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/ProductsIngredients/Ingredients/ucm128042.htm (more below)

      So YOU are on your own out there. Really alone.
      Let's do this: Which is more upsetting? The fact that various businesses have taken an active role in subjecting their employees and customers to chemical exposure without their knowledge or consent (or without even establishing a 'business relationship' with them, say, just walking through the place to get to the food court), or that their so doing may directly influence you to buy something you neither want nor need on your way to the food court?
      For the Desk, it's about an even split. And another reason not to go to the mall.

      You have to take charge of what you can control, and do what you can do for yourself and your family.

      Or you can be a passenger, let others influence you and yours in ways they think best, and take your chances.

      If your bank is pumping who-knows-what into the air in the lobby, and your paycheck is direct deposited into that bank, you may not have much choice but be exposed to their concoction once a month. If the boss in your office is doing it, or they insist on having cans of "deodorizer" around, it may be more difficult to get away from it. But you can make the active effort to remove other sources of contamination from your life that you DO have control over. Such as throwing out that can of spray air freshener that "makes the living room smell sooo goood!" and learning to live without fake scents on your clothes. And using glass instead of plastic in the kitchen (more phthalates, see below).
      And think about it, if the perfume in your laundry soap can survive the wash cycle, the rinse and spin, and then its trip through the dryer, and STILL 'smell springtime fresh' after hanging in the closet for a week, ... ... what is it?
      One of the sites linked below even went so far to say their scent was "inert". That is simply a lie. If it is inert, it would smell like stainless steel or maybe glass. If you can smell it, it is chemically and biologically active.

      As for "detoxing" your life, that is something this writer is making a slow, gradual, turn towards. But it isn't into the 'nuts and twigs' stuff just yet. In fact, after all the above, it needs a stiff belt of "ol' stumpwater" bourbon. So we need to wrap this up.

      It is up to you. And only you.

      Obviously major businesses aren't looking out for you. The Government is not, and as with the case of some of this, they Can Not do anything about it because the companies selling this crap are very careful about the claims they make. Even if those claims, such as the one about scent directly influencing memory, are based on medical and scientific evidence, they are not selling their concoctions as a medical product. It is a 'room freshener', period. The fact that it is also a poison is incidental. Right?

      Right?

TheMediaDesk.com's very own: US FDA Disclaimer!

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, condition, or ailment. They will also not prevent demonic possession, invasion by space aliens, or win the lottery for you. And, no, Charlie Brown, Essential Oils WILL NOT make that 'little red haired girl' fall in love with you! This article is intended for educational and entertainment purposes only, nothing else should be expected from it. Thank You, Good Night, and May God Bless.

That search engine we mentioned:
"Startpage" by ixquick http://www.startpage.com/

"first, the bad news...."
"Access the most important information about toxic substances and how they affect our health"
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/substances/index.asp (full report from 2015 is linked below)

Other Links and References by Category.

Those What Sell the Machines and Scent Systems (in no particular order)

• (birthday cake "100% pure essential oil"?)
  Entice and inspire your shoppers!
  "Scent influences mood and memory as well affects 75% of our emotions."
  100% Essential Oil and Aroma Blends uniquely created by our in-house perfumers. Baby Powder $16.00

  Waffle Cone, Aroma Oil Blend: Creamy Vanilla notes are enhanced by sweet Butter, White Sugar and hints of Coffee to create this delicious scent. (four liter containers available!) -http://aromatechsystems.com/collections/scents

  http://aromatechsystems.com
• "The scent machine you can hide." - online ad for: http://www.enviroscent.com
  idea repeated on Machine Features page "Machine Features: Timer settings for ultimate control, Fragrance volume, Quiet and hidden""
  http://www.enviroscent.com
• Aromasys

  HVAC integration
  Built-in timer
  0.5, 1 and 1.5 gal refills available
  Up to 50,000 ft2 coverage
  Scenting large facilities is no longer a challenge with the AromaSys ADS HC™. Our new technology and specialized fragrance formulations can provide a superior fragrance experience for large facilities. The ADS HC™ is capable of scenting an indoor space from 10,000ft2 to 50,000ft2.

  http://www.aromasys.com
• "Customer safety is crucial to us. How safe is Premium Scenting?
  You can rest easy. Ingredients are 100% pure with inert fragrance and odor neutralizing materials. Conventional systems are at least 50% solvents and propellants that contain potentially harmful VOCs or volatile organic compounds."
  from - http://www.ambius.com/scenting/faqs/index.html#q6
  http://www.ambius.com
• "The smell will make them remember you..."
  "Operating in 109 countries, with over 100,000 deployments, ScentAir is the largest and most experienced scent provider.
  -fragrance oils "notes, tones, aroma, fragrance, highlights...."

  "Incorporating scent into a simulation, entertainment or promotional environment can create a realistic and memorable experience. ScentAir has developed systems for theaters, museums, theme parks, attractions, trade show exhibits as well as military training and simulation scenarios. ScentAir is also registered with the US Department of Defense Central Contractor Registration and is a proud member the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA)."

  http://www.scentair.com
• "We translate brand identities into unforgettable fragrances."
  http://www.air-aroma.com

• Scenting an environment with a specific fragrance to promote a product and create a brand connection>
  Utilizing specific fragrance formulations and scents that can energize the senses, evoke comforting memories, reduce stress, encourage relaxation, etc.
  With AirQ&tm;, our patented scent diffusion delivery system, we provide uniform, hypoallergenic, ambient scenting services to a wide range of global clients in retail, hospitality, health & wellness, transportation, and real estate, including more than 75,000 installations in 83 countries, touching some 20 million people each day."
  "A variety of culinary-inspired ambient scents, including seasonal offerings"
  "All our fragrances are 100 percent compliant with the all international and US inhalation safety guidelines. They carry a certificate of compliance with the air freshener safety standards of the IFRA—the International Fragrance Association." - http://prolitec.com/en-us/scenting

  http://www.aroma360.com

Other information available from these sources

• first installed in 1991
  http://lasvegassun.com
• "Mixing too many ambient scents is like playing two songs loudly at the same time; it’s confusing and irritating..."
  http://www.lightspeedhq.com
• The Smells That Make Customers Spend from 2014
  http://www.businessnewsdaily.com
• "Crafting the perfect ambient scent for your stores via the 'six scent families'"
  http://www.retailcustomerexperience.com
• "Using Scent as a Marketing Tool, Stores Hope It--and Shoppers--Will Linger
  How Cinnabon, Lush Cosmetics, Panera Bread Regulate Smells in Stores to Get You to Spend More"
  www.wsj.com
• brainfacts.org "Making Sense of Scents: Smell and the Brain"
  http://www.brainfacts.org/sensing-thinking-behaving/senses-and-perception/articles/2015/making-sense-of-scents-smell-and-the-brain/
• New Luxury-Car Specifications: Styling. Performance. Aroma.
  http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/25/business/new-luxury-car-specifications-styling-performance-aroma.html
• to end the section with some humor
  "Global Gaming Business Magazine": what's that smell?
  http://ggbmagazine.com/

On Subliminal Marketing:
The FCC's Non-Statement Page:
URL: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2010-title47-vol4/xml/CFR-2010-title47-vol4-sec73-4250.xml
Link: http://www.gpo.gov

"Laws on Subliminal Marketing" http://smallbusiness.chron.com/

"This page contains the full-text reproduction of the Federal Communications Commission Document, FCC 74-78, "BROADCAST OF INFORMATION BY MEANS OF `SUBLIMINAL PERCEPTION' TECHNIQUES," issued January 24, 1974."

Also:

"In 1977, twenty years after the first reported use of subliminal ads in movies, the Federal Communications Commission released this 8-page information bulletin on subliminal projection. The document reviews the history of controversial subliminal telecasts and provides an interesting description of FCC action on the issue."

Other Resources Mentioned:

The compositional analysis of C. Sativum (Coriander) essential oil: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2221169115000647

Nature's Garden Candles
"Making your own homemade candles, soaps, and cosmetics is easy! Let the Nature's Garden creative team help you!"
http://www.naturesgardencandles.com
the Material Safety Data Sheet for our example
http://www.naturesgardencandles.com/mas_assets/theme/ngc/pdf_msds/Snuggable-MSDS.pdf

The List of over 3000 Ingredients meant by the word "Fragrance". The International Fragrance Association:
The Fragrance Industry has published below the list of fragrance ingredients used in consumer goods by their customers worldwide. http://www.ifraorg.org

Procter and Gamble's® version of the above list:
http://www.pgproductsafety.com

Glade's® ingredients can be found at:
http://www.whatsinsidescjohnson.com

Air Wick's® parent:
http://www.rbnainfo.com

You may compare the above to the below at your leisure and draw your own conclusions:
"The collection and evaluation of data on incidence and severity of skin and respiratory allergy related to exposure of chemicals from non-food sources"
Reports: http://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/reports/index_en.htm
Database by chemical (includes essential oils on page 68): "Clinical evidence regarding sensitisation to individual fragrance chemicals and to natural extracts"- URL: http://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/consumer_safety/docs/sccs_o_073_annex1.pdf
Link: http://ec.europa.eu

A Look At One Ingredient In A Number Of Consumer Products

Overview of Phthalates Toxicity...
Phthalates are a group of chemicals used in hundreds of products. The phthalate commonly used in fragrance products is diethyl phthalate, or DEP. DEP does not pose known risks for human health as it is currently used in cosmetics and fragrances.

More on Phthalates from the FDA.
URL: http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/ProductsIngredients/Ingredients/ucm128250.htm
Link: http://www.fda.gov

"No known risks....Oh?"
CDC: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
"Hazardous Substance"
URL: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/phs/phs.asp?id=601&tid=112
Link: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov
Their Portal: URL: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/substances/index.asp
Link: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov

The Environmental Working Group's page on it:
http://www.ewg.org
the EWG is NOT part of the US Government

Other Material Used From The US Government

National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals

Question: What are the common sources of environmental exposure to the chemicals listed in the Fourth Report?
For most chemicals, people are exposed to low levels through foods or by breathing in air that contains the chemical. People can also be exposed by using products with chemicals in them or which have been stored in containers made with the chemicals.

the Executive Summary is here.
(it doesn't take all day to read!)

PubChem database: URL: http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
Link: http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/

Parabens and the FDA's lack of backbone (read the last sentence):

"The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) reviewed the safety of methylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben in 1984 and concluded they were safe for use in cosmetic products at levels up to 25%. Typically parabens are used at levels ranging from 0.01 to 0.3%.
On November 14, 2003, the CIR began the process to reopen the safety assessments of methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben in order to offer interested parties an opportunity to submit new data for consideration. In September 2005, the CIR decided to re-open the safety assessment for parabens to request exposure estimates and a risk assessment for cosmetic uses. In December 2005, after considering the margins of safety for exposure to women and infants, the Panel determined that there was no need to change its original conclusion that parabens are safe as used in cosmetics. (The CIR is an industry-sponsored organization that reviews cosmetic ingredient safety and publishes its results in open, peer-reviewed literature. FDA participates in the CIR in a non-voting capacity.)"

- (they don't have to tell you what's in the product) -
Selections From:

TITLE 21--FOOD AND DRUGS
CHAPTER I--FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
SUBCHAPTER G--COSMETICS
PART 700 -- GENERAL

Subpart A--General Provisions

Sec. 700.3 Definitions.
(d) The term fragrance means any natural or synthetic substance or substances used solely to impart an odor to a cosmetic product.

(f) The term proprietary ingredient means any cosmetic product ingredient whose name, composition, or manufacturing process is protected from competition by secrecy, patent, or copyright.

Sec. 720.4
(5) When the manufacturer or supplier of a fragrance and/or flavor refuses to disclose ingredient data, the fragrance and/or flavor should be listed as such. The nonconfidential listing of the product name and/or trade name or name of the manufacturer or supplier of each proprietary fragrance and/or flavor mixture is optional.

Consumer Product Safety Commission

Health Effects of Household Chemicals
The ability of organic chemicals to cause health effects varies greatly, from those that are highly toxic, to those with no known health effect. As with other pollutants, the extent and nature of the health effect will depend on many factors including level of exposure and length of time exposed. Eye and respiratory tract irritation, headaches, dizziness, visual disorders, and memory impairment are among the immediate symptoms that some people have experienced soon after exposure to some organics. At present, not much is known about what health effects occur from the levels of organics usually found in homes. Many organic compounds are known to cause cancer in animals; some are suspected of causing, or are known to cause, cancer in humans.

Sources of Office Air Pollution
As with homes, the most important factor influencing indoor air quality is the presence of pollutant sources. Commonly found office pollutants and their sources include environmental tobacco smoke; asbestos from insulating and fire-retardant building supplies; formaldehyde from pressed wood products; other organics from building materials, carpet, and other office furnishings, cleaning materials and activities, restroom air fresheners, paints, adhesives, copying machines, and photography and print shops; biological contaminants from dirty ventilation systems or water-damaged walls, ceilings, and carpets; and pesticides from pest management practices.

Much More:
Full URL: http://www.cpsc.gov/en/safety-education/safety-guides/home/the-inside-story-a-guide-to-indoor-air-quality/
Link: http://www.cpsc.gov/en/

Human Food ingredients:

TITLE 21--FOOD AND DRUGS
CHAPTER I--FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
SUBCHAPTER B--FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION
PART 101 -- FOOD LABELING
The term natural flavor or natural flavoring means the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional. Natural flavors include the natural essence or extractives obtained from plants listed in 182.10, 182.20, 182.40, and 182.50 and part 184 of this chapter, and the substances listed in 172.510 of this chapter.

Media Desk Articles Mentioned above, and others, of course:

The "Greatest Hits List" for the connecting the dots article.

The Media Desk's look at Essential Oils where we discussed Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim, (1493 – 1541) Paracelsus in some depth, beginning with his quote:

"The art of healing comes from nature, not from the physician.
Therefore the physician must start from nature, with an open mind."

He was also mentioned in this article: alchemy
The old boy was onto something, and, he knew it!

Other Media Desk Non-Fiction Articles

and Photoessays.

The Media Desk Main Page http://themediadesk.com

This is a real link to a real resource as part of a banner exchange test:

It would be appreciated if you at least checked them out, -doc L

[NOTE: The products, companies, ancient physicians, historic documents, and everything else are owned and controlled by outside entities, the Desk is not responsible for them, nor are they responsible for the Desk. No endorsement of one by the other is intended or to be inferred. They are owned by their respective owners and are used here as part of this journalistic and educational effort. If any said entity objects to their inclusion due to factual inaccuracy of said information as presented, they may contact the Desk at: Dr_Leftover{!a~t!}TheMediaDesk{!d0t!}(email scrambled due to spammer robots)com.
   The online presentation of this article is owned by TheMediaDesk.com, please see the following for further information: http://www.themediadesk.com/files/copy.htm
No 'New Car Scent' was sprayed on any popcorn, or mixed with any booze, during the development of this article.
    -thank you ]