Have you ever been guilty of "perfume pollution"? Come on...be honest!

You Smell ‘Em Before You See ‘Em

I used to use commercial perfume too, although I never liked the strong, floral scents. I liked more of the fresh, fruity fragrances. Also when I used perfume, I used just a bit. I think you don’t have to apply it all over your body, just at certain points, such as behind the ears, wrists and elbows. A subtle touch of scent beats an all over “stench” any day (ask your man!) You also use less of the perfume, so you’re saving money too. When I went organic, I tried many different brands and didn’t find one which met my expectations. This can be a challenge for women who want to go “greener” with their fragrance choices.  Commercial perfume, such as those you buy in the department or drug store use strong chemicals called phthaltes (or artificial fragrances) for their scents. Phthaltes have been proven to disrupt hormones…and we don’t even know exactly what they contain, since they’re considered trade secrets and don’t have to be listed on the ingredients. (This goes for the term “fragrance” in lotions, body washes, etc. Beware when you see this on the label, as it can mean hundreds of chemicals.)

Perf(ume) of the Earth

So what to do? If you’re like me, you still like to use some form of fragrance, yet now, you’re conscious of what you’re putting on your body. I’ve had so many readers inquire about natural perfumes. I never really found one I liked…until now.  Golden Earth makes pure, natural scents based on healing essential oils. So not only do you get a lovely scent, but you also benefit from the aromatherapy aspects of the oils. They’re also cruelty-free, vegan and made with 100% organic and wild-crafted oils. Golden

Golden Earth Perfume from Nature- "Fresh"

Earth blends many different oils for a variety of products, such as bath gels, chakra body lotions, and perfumes from nature. I tried a few samples of the perfumes but the best scent by far was “Fresh.” It contains neroli, jojoba, and passion fruit oils.  The scent is soft, rich, and citrusy….and is supposed to inspire calmness, uplift, and refresh while balancing your senses. Does it work? Somewhat….but I know what you really want to know. Does it last? It does for a few hours…but remember natural perfumes don’t last nearly as long as synthetic. It’s the price we must pay to use safer fragrance. Other scents are also available such as Love, Euphoria, Grace, and Beauty, which come with their own aromatherapy benefits…even though these scents weren’t quite my cup of tea, you may like them.  They’re priced at $20 for a 3/5 ml (1/8 oz) roll-on. Not too bad of a price considering you use it sparingly.

I hope I’ve given you another option when it comes to perfume. But don’t worry, I’ll still be on the lookout for other natural fragrances which I will most definitely share with you. And to the lady who sat beside me at the movies last night, please learn how to apply your perfume with a lighter hand. Everyone will thank you for it.  Oh, and how was the movie, you ask? It was quite delightful, as any Seth Rogan movie is. I definitely recommend it! And if you have any natural perfume recommendations or have tried Golden Earth, please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Stay natural…stay beautiful…go green!

When I finally found out about the term “fragrance” I had to give up my favorite scents…because my heath and my hormones are much more important to me than smelling good!

When you see the word “fragrance” on an ingredient list of a perfume or cologne, that word alone can mean thousands of  chemicals that the perfume manufacturer isn’t even required to tell you about. Such information is considered “trade secrets.” Well it is time to let the secret out!

Phthaltes are toxic chemicals that mix to create your special perfume scent. These are the ingredients known to you as “fragrance.” Phthalates are hormone disruptors which mimic estrogen and interfere with testosterone in our bodies. Excess estrogen can cause fibroids, cysts, and cancer. Phthalates  also alter and disturb the thyroid, which controls metabolism and all the hormone production in the body. Phthalates are  especially dangerous for pregnant women! One phthalate, DEP or di-ethyl phthalate, has been shown to cause damage to reproductive health in male babies.

Perfume may smell nice but it  really isn’t all that pleasant. In addition to many toxic chemicals that it contains, perfumes  trigger asthma, allergies, and irritation.  It can cause migraines in some people who are simply affected by smelling it.  I few years ago (before I knew all this) I bought a well known fragrance from Sephora. After using for a few weeks, I started to develop itchy red bumps on my arms where I applied the perfume. So as you can see, the chemicals in perfume can also irritate the delicate skin. Speaking of the skin, when you apply perfume all these hormone disruptors enter into the bloodstream directly. All this risk just to smell nice. Now that you know, make an educated decision. There are many wonderful and much safer alternatives available. Stay tuned…I will discuss these in my next blog post.

Stay natural…stay beautiful…go green!

Robin

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