The air is becoming colder and drier- my hands are beginning to crack, and I have broken out my warm sweater collection to do anything I can to fight that chill in the air. It’s normal this time of year, when the holiday season is in full swing, to turn to those lotions that not only make your skin soft, but also fill the air with a sugar cookie smell- and to those candles that make you feel as though you’re living in a winter wonderland full of gingerbread houses and candy canes.
Growing up, it would hit October or November, and I’d be running to Bath & Body Works. I did anything I could to make sure I had my Vanilla Bean Noel body butter and Sweater Weather candle… Since beginning my journey with The Environista and really digging into what we are putting into our bodies every day, whether it be through eating, absorption (lotions, creams, deodorants, etc.), or even just through regular old breathing, I decided to actually look at those labels… and here’s what I found.
Fragrance, then some words I can’t even pronounce, and then more fragrance…
Here’s the thing- when fragrance is listed on an ingredient label, this is basically code for toxic chemicals. Something also to look out for is where it sits on the list. If you’re finding that “fragrance” is appearing in the top 5 or 10 ingredients out of a list of 30 or 40, that means it makes up quite a bit of the product composition. Here’s why this is a problem.
As much as we may love our gingerbread candles and candy cane body spray, most of the time, these are synthetic scents, meaning fake- formulated in a lab by mixing a bunch of chemicals together. In fact, according to research, 95% of artificial fragrances are derived from crude petroleum oil. Not to mention they contain a suffocating amount of carcinogenic chemical additives. Now I know I just started throwing some bigger, scary sounding words in, so I’ll break it down and make it simple.
What makes these artificial fragrances so bad?
The toxic substances that go into these synthetic scents have direct links to things like:
- Birth Defects
- Allergies
- Cancer
- Nervous system disorders
Not to mention, these toxic fragrances are endocrine disruptors, meaning they disrupt the entire balance of your body system. Without getting too medical, this is highly dangerous to all human beings as our health depends on our body maintaining homeostasis. When our system gets disrupted, we create a space for diseases to manifest- obesity, cancer, diabetes, etc.
Where are these artificial fragrances usually found?
Everywhere.
Nowadays, artificial fragrances have managed to weasel their way into a plethora of products- most we all use on a daily basis.
- Commercial body care and cosmetics
- Shampoo
- Lotion
- Cream
- Moisturizer
- Cologne
- Perfume
- Air Fresheners
- Candle
- Cleaning Products
- Soap
- Detergent
So, let’s take lotion for example- when you apply lotion to your body, the ingredients within the product are absorbed straight through the skin, and ultimately absorbed into the bloodstream… Do you really want all of those chemicals entering your bloodstream? I know I don’t.
Good News!
There is an abundance of companies today who advocate for these issues and create products that are toxin-free. Let me also just say, this is not an advertisement. I’m just a conscious consumer who cares about what I personally put in and, on my body, and want to look out for all of you as well! The reality is, none of us need these toxins in our life, so why not make the change together.
Another thing- just because they don’t have these synthetic scents, doesn’t mean they smell bad! Sure, they’re no “sugar cookie goodness” or “pumpkin pie dream” but they’re real and refreshing. The mixing of scents directly derived from the earth has come a long way and is only continuing to excel.
Saying goodbye to your Vanilla Bean Noel candle doesn’t mean you’re stuck with a plain old Eucalyptus candle… and to be quite honest, after using products with a recognizable ingredients list, I feel happier and healthier.
So, as promised, here’s some of my favorite places to shop around and kick artificial fragrances to the curb.
Skincare/Cosmetics
Perfume
Candles/Air Fresheners
- Candier by Ryan Porter
- Diffusers and Essential Oils
- Primally Pure
Laundry Detergent
Resources: The Dangers of Synthetic Fragrances – Alitura, Our Top 5 Nostalgic Products Of The 2000s + Why We’re Better Off Without These Toxic Beauty Products | Primally Pure, 9 Best Non-Toxic Laundry Detergents – Caring Consumer, 12 Non Toxic Perfume Brands To Smell Great And Be Healthy – Splash of Scent
