Pope perfume

I don't quite know what to say here, so I'll just report the facts. I've recently learned that the current Pope (who does not take a vow of poverty, unlike Catholic nuns) has paid to have a special cologne created for him:

Italian celebrity perfume-maker Silvana Casoli, has created her most heavenly scent yet for a very special client, Pope Benedict XVI. Known for creating a number of perfumes that can be used by both men and women with names like Chocolat Bambola (Chocolate doll) and Vanilla Bourbon, Casoli has designed unique fragrances for famous personalities like Madonna and Sting.

Stranger than fiction, right? Wouldn't you think that there are better things to spend money on? And it's just for the Pope:

Unlike other perfumes, the scent won't be sold to the public and is to only be worn by the Pope, explains Italian newspaper Il Messaggero.

I'm not the only one to find the story about Pope-cologne puzzling. Michael Morris, author of a website titled Funmentionables, has written an article he titled, "The Old Pope Smell," in which he pulls out quite a few Bible verses that mention perfume.

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The stench of secrecy.

According to the Environmental Working Group, most perfumes, colognes and body sprays don't disclose that "many scents are actually a complex cocktail of natural essences and synthetic chemicals – often petrochemicals." This is getting to be a predictable story: The manufacturers are keeping these ingredients secret despite the fact that consumers should have access to the dangers and potential dangers of the chemicals.

The average fragrance product tested contained 14 secret chemicals not listed on the label. Among them are chemicals associated with hormone disruption and allergic reactions, and many substances that have not been assessed for safety in personal care products.

Continue ReadingThe stench of secrecy.