Let’s face it – synthetic perfume and fragrance… STINK! When you discover the sinister chemicals lurking behind these words, you’ll realize they should more appropriately be named Eau de Nausea or Toxic Toilette! The EPA found the following health problems associated with synthetic fragrance exposure: asthma, fatigue, eye irritation, sinusitis, skin problems, kidney and liver damage, immune system damage, nausea, blood pressure change (drop or rise), cancer, and even death due to respiratory failure. More than 95% of the chemicals used in fragrances are neurotoxic and derived from petroleum (um, ew!). These have been known to be harmful to the brain and nervous system. The term “fragrance,” “fragrance oil,” “perfume oil,” or “parfum” may be masking the presence of phthalates which are often used to disperse fragrance in perfumes (read: Shhhh! The Fragrance Industry: SECRETS Revealed).
Environmental Working Group (EWG) researchers found more than 75% of products with the ingredient “fragrance” contained phthalates (THAL ates) which have been shown to reduce sperm counts, linked to thyroid and reproductive disorders, liver and breast cancer. These may be listed as DBP (di-n-butyl phthalate) or DEP (diethyl phthalate) on the ingredients label.
So, what’s a stinky gal to do? Go au naturel of course! Thanks to these seven brands who know that you really can have it all by using the power of plants; sans the nasty chemicals.
7 Nontoxic Fragrance and Perfume Alternatives
1.) Zorica of Malibu – Try the Vera Essence – an essential oil-based perfume. Lovingly handcrafted with certified 100% pure steam distilled Bulgarian Rose Otto and other high grade steam distilled pure essential oils (steam distilled is the purest way to extract oil from the flower). Chemical Free. Toxin Free. Petrochemicals Free. Solvent Free. Alcohol Free. Gluten Free. Vegan. No animal testing. Environment Friendly. Or, try or the Gratitude Pure Perfume. It’s an allergen free, 100% pure perfume oil. Price: $50.00-$56.00
2.) Taken – Available in roll on or spray. Ingredients: Essential vanilla, French vanilla, mango, peach, bergamot, jasmine, muget, patchouli and chocolate. Price $75.00-$95.00
3.) Solay Wellness Inc. – LOVE these natural and nontoxic perfumes! OMG – with names and scents like Wisdom, Grace, Wealth, Let Go, Joy, and Love all made from essential oils. Each scent is created with infused crystals for healing and has Himalayan salt at the bottom of each formula for grounding & healing! BONUS: They’re all handmade, vegan, organic and cruelty-free. Price: $18.00-$36.00
4.) Pure Natural Diva Botanicals – 100% natural. Over 85% organic ingredients. Hand blended. Grab a sample quartet set for only $16.00 to try them out first. Price: $40.00 – $1,250.00
5.) Golden Path Alchemy – A holistic and handcrafted apothecary using certified organic ingredients that are hand grown in California. They are 100% natural, vegan and cruelty-free. Try the Healing Alchemyst, the Sacred Space Alchemyst or the Clarity Alchemyst. Price: $28.00
6.) Organic Glam Orange Blossom – Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Neroli (Citrus Aurantum), Rye Alcohol*, Citrus Reticulata Peel Oil (Tangerine), Citrus Nobilis Oil (Mandarin), Sweet Orange (Citrus Aurantium Dulcis)*. Price: $249.00
Related Articles:
Shhhh! The Fragrance Industry: SECRETS Revealed
Frizz Free Can Be Flat-Out Dangerous!
A Day in the Life of Lisa: Discover My Daily Green Product Routine!
The Most Dangerous Chemicals in Your Beauty Products
A Day in the Life of Lisa: My Green Product Routine – Part II
A Day in the Life of Lisa: My GREEN Product Routine – Part III
DIY Peppermint Lip Balm Recipe
Pinkwashing: A Growing Concern
PARABENS: Hidden Health Hazards in Your Hygiene Routine
DEODORANT DANGERS: Ingredients to Lose & Those to Choose
7.) Trilium Organics – 100% USDA Certified Organic Perfume. No synthetic fragrances here, just pure organic essential oils in an organic jojoba oil base.Price: $20.00 per roll on (or, try a sample for just $2.00)!
Listen now for a full recap as featured on The Green Divas Radio Show:
I never realized how toxic some perfumes could be!
Thank you for the list of non-toxic fragrances, I’m going to be more careful when I purchase perfume for now on!
Wonderful to hear Lisa! Sooo many people don’t realize the hundreds (yep, hundreds) of synthetic chemicals that can be lurking in perfume, colognes and fragrances. High five to you for being more conscious of your choices and respecting yourself enough to take good care of your health!
I have all 3 Ava Scents and love them all. Very long lasting. I combine the Love and Hope.
Oooh, that makes (at least) two of us!! I have all 3 scents, too and LOVE them as well. So easy to carry in my purse and roll on whenever I need. I really love the scents and love them even more knowing they aren’t adding unnecessary toxins to my body! Way to go Tara 🙂
Thanks for sharing! I’m an Ava Love lover, too! A little goes a long way, and the bottle lasts forever!
It really does last forever Melyssa. You just need a little dab (ahem, roll) and you are good to go!
I LOVE avaHOPE! i was super excited when ava came out with these &
Likewise Antoinette! Mmmm – love this scent as well!
Thank you for sharing the Pure Natural Diva Botanical Perfumes. Just so readers don’t get too scared our 50 ml Signature Bottles are $100-150! The $1250 is a custom one-of-a-kind Fragrance!
Hi Lisa and Ron, hope you both are doing well, I just so article that you wrote on non toxic fragrances.
Thank you for sharing Vera Essence Pure
Perfume. I appreciate it.
Same to you! I really lOoOve your perfume and your passionate story behind creating it. Ron & I have had soo many amazing women in our lives diagnosed with breast cancer and can say…just making this one switch to using nontoxic perfume/fragrance can make a HUGE difference in one’s health. Thanks for all you do 🙂
Glad to know there are perfume alternatives out there because for me, I am allergic to those toxic perfumes. So great to be able to buy a smell good product without the headaches, literally!
Thanks for your comment Meiha! You – and so many other people – are allergic to fragrances/perfumes. Glad you like the above choices.
I’m gradually “cleaning up” (getting rid of toxic) all of my H&B products. Perfume is next on the list. I don’t tolerate flowery fragrances, and prefer scents like dolce & gabana light blue. Generally I like things a little on the musky side. I don’t want to spend a lot of money on a lot of different products, trying to find something that I like. Any suggestions please?? Thank you. ~Melinda
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Where can we buy some of them? I really want some of these but don’t know where to get them. I prefer buying them in stores.
Hello Jennifer,
Thanks for your inquiry. There are links for all of the perfumes in the post above. You may have to purchase online. If you live in LA, you can also try Evolue in Beverly Hills who carries a few of the above brands.
As far as Taken…there is no such thing as essential oils of peach or mango so that concerns me. I was told you can’t get them from fruits impossible. So im leery.
hi ron and lisa…..which stores sell your products….i have been looking for some non toxic scents for a while…
thank you so much…..xooxo
We don’t sell scents, but offer suggestions in our 30-day online program, Change Your Home. Change Your Health in 30 Days. Also, we have an online store if you’re interested in a Healthy Home Consultation or books, Cd’s and other tools to help you eliminate toxins and improve your health ASAP!
What about men’s fragrances?
This is a GREAT question, Bob! You have got our wheels spinning for a new blog post! Keep a lookout as this is an area that isn’t discussed enough.
Wow! what a great idea! Really, thank you for the list of non-toxic fragrances, I’m going to be more careful when I buy perfume for now on!
You’re welcome, Marry! It is soOo important to avoid synthetic fragrances…that goes for the guys, too!
Wonderful article on nontoxic perfumes and good insight. Good niche topic to write on. I found good info also on https://dealnews.in/ultimate-perfume-guide-with-20-best-mens-perfume-under-1000-inr/
Hey Ron & Lisa are you familiar with Skylar? They are non-toxic organic essential oil-based perfumes. If you are familiar, what do you think about them?
Hi Michelle,
No – haven’t heard of Skylar yet (sounds like something we need to investigate). Thanks for sharing 🙂
I appreciate your article and recommendations! I’m interested in Taken in particular – sounds beautiful! As a scientist, I wanted to mention the wording “chemical free” is really a misnomer. Everything is chemical, scientifically, and it’s important for educated consumers to understand that it’s not necessarily the constituent materials themselves that make a poison but rather the dosing and exposure. Even drinking water can kill if consumed in extraordinary amounts. Also, there is a lot of misplaced concern around “synthetic” fragrance ingredients, which are often less toxic than natural ones. Synthetic doesn’t have to mean created in a scary manner… it’s more like a farmer growing a lettuce in a hydroponic pool rather than next to poison ivy. The farmer can better control the temperature and water levels in the pool and can make sure that we’re not accidentally ingesting poison ivy along with our lettuce. There are definitely *some* bad synthetics, but there are some bad naturals, too (natural oak moss, a popular ingredient, is actually an allergen and skin toxin for about 30% of the population even at a very small concentration). Anyway, thanks again, and hope everyone enjoys their cleaner fragrances!