Proposed fragrance industry guidelines to limit natural essential oils in perfumes and cosmetics: small businesses worldwide to be impacted.

For Immediate Release

MIAMI SHORES, Fla./EWORLDWIRE/Feb. 8, 2007 --- On February 7, 2007, fragrance and flavor trade magazine Perfumer & Flavorist released the results of an online poll showing 85.1 percent of readers in favor of boycotting proposed fragrance industry guidelines that will heavily limit the use of natural essential oils in perfumes and cosmetics.

Compliance with these guidelines (the IFRA 40th Amendment) requires that listed essential oils and naturally occurring constituents be kept to certain minimal levels in consumer products. At the core of the Amendment are safety issues in regard to skin reactions. The ANPG and Cropwatch fully support sensible safety guidelines to protect the consumer but do not believe IFRA has proved that many of the essential oils affected present the supposed risk, nor have they allowed input from the impacted concerns, especially small businesses.

IFRA guidelines have become the industry norm globally. The livelihood of many small businesses is being threatened by an organization that does not represent them. Adhering to the complex measures not only requires sophisticated computer software, which most small natural products businesses do not possess, it also unfairly targets natural ingredients. Without a level playing field, these small businesses cannot be expected to compete.

Approximately 200 essential oils will be controlled by IFRA if their 40th amendment is ratified.

Just as demand for natural toiletries and fragrances is growing worldwide, the 40th Amendment could do damage from the level of growers, distillers, up to suppliers and manufacturers. The end result may be the closure of businesses and the absence of genuine naturally scented shampoos, creams, lotions, perfumes and soaps from store shelves.

To illustrate how the existing and proposed regulations from IFRA do not make sense, ANPG President Anya McCoy recently blogged on Peanuts vs. Perfume. Peanuts can kill susceptible people yet their sales are unrestricted: Some perfumes may cause a rash yet the International Fragrance Association's (IFRA) 40th Amendment wants to severely limit the public's access to them.

Since the call for a boycott was proposed two weeks ago by little-guy Cropwatch, 549 people have signed an online petition, backing the challenge to the Goliath IFRA ('http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/ifra40/signatures.html'). Therefore, the ANPG joins Cropwatch in asking for a moratorium on the IFRA 40th amendment until these issues have been fully addressed. For more information, download a detailed FAQ from 'http://artisannaturalperfumers.org/cropwatch_ifra.htm'.

Mandy Aftel, Guild Founder
Anya McCoy, Guild President

CONTACT:
Anya McCoy, President
Artisan Natural Perfumers Guild
P.O. Box 245
Miami Shores, FL 33153
PHONE. 305-756-0065
Website: 'http://www.artisannaturalperfumers.org'
E-mail: 'http://www.artisannaturalperfumers.org/contact.htm'

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CONTACT:
Anya McCoy
Artisan Natural Perfumers Guild
P.O. Box 245
Miami Shores, FL 33153
PHONE. 305-756-0065

SOURCE: Artisan Natural Perfumers Guild