Do you know what fragrance is? It is listed as an ingredient in many of the products that we use every day from products to clean our homes to personal care products that we apply directly to our skin. I use to think it was the “natural scents” that companies added to their products just to make it smell better…little did I know that it was not too far from the truth. So, what is fragrance?
Well, it definitely gives a product a “smell”, but that smell may not be such a good thing when it comes to our health. These added scents are great for making us think that a product is more effective and even healthy. Like many people you probably think that fragrances are 100% safe, but actually fragrance is a way for manufacturers can hide things about the product that they don’t want you to know.
- Fragrances are linked to an outstanding number of health risks. Multiple research studies have shown that fragrances are classified as allergens, hormone disruptors, asthma triggers, neurotoxins and carcinogenic. In summary…fragrances are HIGHLY toxic!
- Contain phthalates, which are the chemicals to help scents last longer. Manufacturers are not required to list these on the label. Google for the health concerns.
- Many of the chemicals that make up “fragrance” ingredient listed on the label pass easily from the skin and into the blood.
- Manufacturers are not required to list their “fragrance” ingredients on the product label. You will often see “fragrance” listed which can hide a cocktail of 100+ potentially toxic ingredients. Fragrances are considered “trade secrets”. T
- The fragrance industry regulates itself. Which includes safety testing before their products are sold to us the consumer.
- Don’t be tricked…”Natural fragrances” can be just as toxic as synthetic fragrances.
- From cleaning products to personal care fragrances do not make the product perform better. We have been conditioned to think that certain smells mean that a product works, that is not the truth.
Summary…Fragrances are linked to so many health risks that avoiding them is the best way to reduce your exposure to toxic chemicals. When you see “fragrances” or “parfum” on the label translate it to mean “hidden” chemicals.
In other words always choose fragrance-free products, but even doing this does not guarantee that you are not going to be exposed to toxic chemicals. Always read your labels and if not sure than look for another brand.
- Beware of products labeled with “natural fragrance”! Why? There is no clear standard criteria for what this means. Just be safe and skip products labeled this way.
- Even if a product is has the words “fragrance-free” or “unscented” on the front still check the ingredients list, because manufacturers use fragrances to mask the chemical smell of products.
- If the product ingredients are not listed on the product but instead you are given a website address or a phone number to contact chances are there are “fragrances” in the product. If you do make the phone call or go to the website you will likely spend a while getting the information you want. In other words, not easily accessible and this is legal for the manufacturer to do.
One of the first things I “switched & ditched” was perfume. I have worn perfume since I was a young teenager and got my first bottle of “Loves Baby Soft”. Than I learned about the toxins that are hidden in my favorite scents and began looking for ways to wear perfume, but without all the unknown chemicals. Essential Oils was the answer and I started experimenting with combinations until I found a few combos that I love more than any store bought perfume. Below are a few of my favorite blends that I have been using. Enjoy!
Makes Me Happy
In a 10 ml roller add the following:
10 drops Joy EO
5 drops Orange EO
3 drops Patchouli EO
2 drops Ylang Ylang EO
3 drops Northern Lights Black Spruce EO
3 drops Valor EO
Fill remaining with your favorite carrier oil.
Crystal to add: Rose Quartz
Your Potential
In a 10 ml roller add the following:
7 drops Sacred Mountain EO
6 drops Highest Potential EO
4 drops Release EO
3 drops Xang Mao EO
4 drops Transformation EO
1 drop Excite EO
Fill remaining with your favorite carrier oil.
Crystal to add: Tiger Eye
At Peace
In a 10 ml roller add the following:
10 drops Lavender EO
10 drops Stress Away EO
8 drops Valor EO
5 drops Patchouli EO
3 drops Vetiver or Cedarwood EO
Fill remaining with your favorite carrier oil.
Crystal to add: Amethyst
