On this page:

• Buying online
• Fragrance notes

Besides the loss of income to legitimate sellers, there are also potential health risks to the consumer.ÌýCounterfeit perfumes haven’t been rigorously tested and can contain a whole host of unknown chemicals, meaning they’re unlikely to comply with the regulations set by the .

This creates the potential for all sorts of nasty surprises, such as:

• causing a rash on people with sensitive skin,
• burning the skin,
• staining clothes, and
• respiratory problems.

What’s more, tests on some fake fragrances have allegedly found traces of urine, which gives a whole new meaning to ‘eau de toilette’! Others simply have been revealed as a delightful combination of fragrance and pond water.Ìý The scent of a counterfeit may have a similar ‘top note’ to the original, but otherwise won’t usually smell anything like it. But if you’re buying the perfume for the first time, you’re unlikely to realise this.Ìý A counterfeit may have a sour or bitter smell – think watered down public toilet – and its fragrance may last only a short period of time on the skin, which you may be thankful for. One expert told us that a perfume should linger at least six hours, so if it only lasts 30 minutes, it’s probably a dud.Ìý

How to avoid a fake

If you’re not buying a fragrance from a major retailer (who bought it from the authorised distributor), here are some things to look out for to reduce your chance of buying a fake:

• What does it cost? If the price seems too low, chances are it’s not the genuine article.
• Where’s it being sold? Street corner, flea market, suspect online website? If it looks dodgy, it probably is.
• Look at the packaging. Are there any misspellings? Does the country of origin match the country usually on the product? Is the printing or cardboard of poor quality? If you’ve got an old box, take it with you for a comparison when you’re shopping.
• If you can, look at the contents. Are there differences in colour or consistency from the normal product? It should be clear and not overly oily.
• How does the product smell? It shouldn’t be bitter or sour. Spray some on a piece of cardboard, then go away for half an hour. Does the fragrance last?
• Ensure the seller guarantees the perfume is 100% genuine (some offer a certificate of authenticity) and has a return policy if you’re not happy with the product.

Careful where you buy

The lure of a cheap perfume is hard to resist, but is it worth the risk? The experts we spoke to were all in agreement on one thing: “If the price seems too good to be true, it probably is.” Even if it’s a genuine product, a lower price may indicate that it’s passed its use-by date or has been stored incorrectly or for too long.”Ìý One of the only ways to be 100% sure a perfume is genuine is to buy from outlets that buy products from the authorised distributors, such as Myer, David Jones, certain pharmacies, speciality stores and websites likeÌý.ÌýÌý An example of a major company that’s taken steps to protect itself and consumers from counterfeits is , distributor of fragrances such as Calvin Klein, Jennifer Lopez and JOOP!. It has established a network of authorised stockists, including online retailers, which only stock legitimate perfumes bought directly from the company.Ìý If you do come across a fake, contact the store you bought it from, or the Australian company that distributes the product. If it’s determined fake, it’s up to the trademark owner to launch legal action against the fraudulent seller.Ìý If you’ve bought a perfume that turns out to be fake, from someone other than an authorised stockist, you may not get your money back. That’s why it’s wise to check their return policy before buying. The online perfume storeÌý offers a $45 Ìýof your perfume if you’re unsure whether you’ve bought the real thing.

Buying online

The reality is many of us now buy goods online; it’s convenient and generally cheaper. The cost of perfumes bought online can now be up to 60% less than in traditional stores, according to Euromonitor.

But the problem, according to intellectual property lawyer Stephen Stern, is that, “these days, there’s probably more counterfeit on the internet than genuine product.”Ìý To minimise the risk of getting a fake perfume, look for the following when you’re buying from an Australian online store:

• An Australian Business Number (ABN) should be displayed with the company address. Or, you can look it up on .
• Contact details, including a contact phone number for customers, email address, street address (not a PO box) and mailing address.
• A returns policy. If the product’s faulty or not genuine, you’ll want to know how the store intends to deal with it. Australian-based stores have to comply with the Trade Practices Act 1974, but they may also have provisions for situations the law doesn’t cover, or details on how they’d prefer to be contacted to ensure you get the best service.
• Be aware that you may have to pay postage when returning goods, even within Australia.
• If you’re buying a perfume from eBay, investigate the seller’s feedback by clicking on the feedback link, and beware of new sellers selling prestige fragrances — look for established retailers with a good reputation.
• Also check that they’re PayPal-verified, as sellers of counterfeit goods may not disclose their contact information to PayPal.
• Note that overseas stores will be governed by their country’s consumer laws (if they exist), which may not offer the same protection as Australian laws.

Spot the difference

Davidoff

One of these bottles of Cool Water is real and the other is fake. Can you tell which is which? We certainly couldn’t. The two bottles are nearlyÌýidentical apart from some subtle differences.Ìý It wasn’t until both perfumes were sprayed onto cardboard that the big difference became apparent. “The top note is vaguely Cool Water but… it doesn’t last, and it’s sour …” said Coty’s Managing Director about the counterfeit version.Ìý And the answer? The one on the right is the real Davidoff Cool Water.Ìý

Echo Woman

Here is the packing from two bottles of Echo Woman — one real, one fake. Once the packaging has been opened, you can immediately see the difference between the two.Ìý The counterfeit perfume sits inside an empty box, while the legitimate perfume is padded with extra packaging — though you wouldn’t be able to check this if the perfume was sealed in cellophane.

Fragrance notes

A fragrance, just like a wine, has different layers: the top, middle and base notes.

Top noteÌý

This is the first part of the fragrance to hit your nose — the initial ‘impact’, which is composed of more volatile materials.

Middle noteÌý

The second part — the ‘heart’ of the fragrance – defines its character.

Base notesÌý

The last part of the fragrance lingers on the skin, and is made from lasting materials.

It’s also useful to understand the naming conventions for perfume:

• Eau de Cologne contains 3 to 6% perfume oils.
• Eau de toilette contains 6 to 15% perfume oils.
• Eau de parfum contains 15 to 25% perfume oils.

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On this page:

• Aluminium in antiperspirants
• Are antiperspirants bad for you?
• Other active ingredients
• Why do we sweat?

• Deodorants contain antibacterial ingredients that help reduce the numbers of odour-causing bacteria, and may also contain perfumes that mask the smell.
• Antiperspirants contain aluminium salts, the active ingredient that helps reduce sweating by temporarily plugging pores and by constricting or shrinking the pores due to their astringency. Antiperspirant products don’t completely prevent sweating, and often contain deodorising ingredients, as well as antiperspirants, to reduce smell.

Aluminium in antiperspirants

Generally, the higher the aluminium content, the more effective the antiperspirant at reducing sweating. Ingredients such as talc and other absorptive minerals can also help reduce the feeling of wetness. Roll-ons tend to be more effective than sprays, because they provide better coverage.

Most antiperspirants contain aluminium in the form of aluminium chlorohydrate. Other less common forms include aluminium zirconium complexes, which are slightly more effective and longer-lasting than aluminium chlorohydrate. However, these are not permitted in aerosol products due to the inhalation risk.

Antiperspirants were regulated as medicines until 2007, and the quantity or proportion of active ingredient had to be listed on the label. However, in September 2007, antiperspirants were reclassified as cosmetics, so now their total ingredients must be listed, but not the amount of active ingredient. While this is useful for people sensitive to particular ingredients, it also means you can no longer tell which is likely to be the more effective antiperspirant simply by looking at the label.

Aluminium levels

A ÌÇÐÄVlog poll confirmed most people want to know the percentage of aluminium in antiperspirants, so we asked the major manufacturers to provide us with this information. Unfortunately, many chose not to oblige. We know that many contain about 5% aluminium. If you’d prefer a stronger product, you could consider one of the following (aluminium content percentage listed in brackets):

• Garnier Mineral Roll-On range (10%)
• Nivea Silver Protect for Men Roll-On (15%)
• Mitchum (21.4%)
• Driclor (20%)
• Rexona and Dove Clinical Protection range (20% – overseas equivalent product).

Are antiperspirants bad for you?

Some people argue that the body sweats for a reason, and so antiperspirants that stop you sweating are bad. However, the adult human skin has several million sweat glands over almost your entire body, with only one per cent located in the armpits – so antiperspirants won’t cause you to overheat. They also don’t prevent perspiration completely. A standard antiperspirant may only reduce sweating by as little as 20%, while even the best ones reduce sweating by less than half.

Many people are also concerned about the health effects of aluminium in antiperspirants. Aluminium is an extremely common element, found in air, water, food, medicines, utensils and many other everyday objects and substances. It’s been linked with due to its accumulation in the brain tissue of Alzheimer’sÌýpatients, although it doesn’t appear to cause the disease. To put the aluminium content in antiperspirants in perspective, it’s estimated we eat about 5mg-20mg of aluminium per day, more than 99% of which is passed without being absorbed into the bloodstream. The aluminium content absorbed from antiperspirants has been measured at about four micrograms – roughly 2.5% of the amount that’s actually absorbed each day from the gut.

As for the claim that antiperspirants are the “leading cause of breast cancer” – a decade-old scare campaign still spread over the net – this myth was debunked years ago by world health authorities, who point out there is no evidence that using antiperspirant is even a risk factor for developing breast cancer, let alone a leading cause of it. Nevertheless, if you’re still concerned about using aluminium products on your skin, you could always switch to a deodorant.

Other active ingredients

Triclosan is an effective antibacterial agent used in some deodorant products. However, many GPs and scientists are calling for it to be banned from cosmetic products due to concerns about its impact on bacterial resistance and natural ecosystems as well as potential endocrine-disrupting effects. Tea tree oil and silver are effective alternative antibacterial products that we recommend.

Deodorant crystals are a popular alternative among the anti-aluminium set. They contain alum, an astringent that may help reduce perspiration by shrinking or constricting pores, and may also have antibacterial properties.

Why do we sweat?

Sweating is your body’s way of dealing with excessive heat. Exercise, over-stimulated nerves (caused by anxiety or fright), fever, spicy food and external heat and humidity can all cause sweating.

Why does sweat smell?

The sweat produced by your armpit’s sweat glands is rich in proteins, ammonia and fatty acids, and the warm, moist conditions are ideal for sweat-hungry bacteria. While the sweat itself doesn’t smell very strong, bacteria that break the sweat down into organic compounds produce an unpleasant smell. Hair in armpits increases the surface area for bacteria, contributing to that body odour most people prefer to avoid.

What if I sweat a lot?

Hyperhidrosis is the medical name for excessive sweating, and is believed to affect about two percent of the population. People with the condition suffer in numerous embarrassing ways, including having to change clothes several times a day, feeling self-conscious when they shake hands, being unable to hold a pen properly and having damp, smelly feet. They’re also prone to dermatitis, skin rashes where sweat collects in skin folds and fungal infections such as tinea. Hyperhidrosis can be a symptom of a more serious underlying condition, and you should consult your doctor if you’re concerned about excessive sweating.

The first line of treatment is antiperspirant with a high level of aluminium chlorohydrate. Dermatologists recommend Driclor, which is available in pharmacies. You usually have to apply this to clean skin before bed when you’re less likely to sweat, to maximise absorption.

Botox injections have been successfully used to disable nerves responsible for activating sweat glands in armpits, hands and feet. However, they’re expensive (about $1000-1500 for armpits), may produce unwanted effects in other muscles (especially when used in the hands), and the sweat-reducing effects are only temporary (about six to nine months).

SurgeryÌýto reduce the number of sweat glands in your armpits, such as liposuction or curettage, removes skin containing sweat glands; this is usually considered a last resort, as isÌýsympathectomyÌý(destroying the nerves responsible).

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