Don’t just go by the smell

Beware of fake perfumes or colognes as their toxic chemicals could give you a nightmare. According to Dr Tamir Said Saleh, a researcher at the Egyptian National Centre for Research, cheap/spurious perfumes could risk your health. Fake perfumes are usually made from a “duplicate” type of alcohol called Methanol Gasohol, a toxic material. They also contain urine, which in some cases, can cause serious skin rashes. Other adverse effects include acne, psoriasis, rashes and eye infections. Ali al Rawahi, for instance, felt dizzy immediately after using a cheap perfume. “I bought it from a street vendor. It looked exactly like the original one.” It is not just about using Methanol Gasohol instead of Ethanol, which is used in authentic fragrances. It is also about artificial essential oils that are flammable and highly sensitive to light and heat. “Vendors keep perfumes in transparent bottles in a sunlight-reaching zone, resulting in unbinding of chemical substances which turn into harmful substances for skin and respiratory system,” said Dr Tamir. Spurious perfumes also cause dryness of the hair. Long-term effects include kidney failure and even skin cancer. Ahmed al Shamsi, a college student, was shocked to hear about the side effects of cheap perfumes. “I didn’t know perfumes caused so much harm. I had no idea dizziness and difficulty in breathing could be life-threatening.” No wonder, experts ask people to purchase perfumes from reputable retailers or from manufacturers and not get tempted by low-cost products. Zainab Al Nassri