I used to love a good perfume! As I started my clean-living journey, strong scents didn’t smell so sweet to me anymore. All was not lost though. This post will highlight three phthalate free clean beauty perfumes that won’t wreak havoc on your health.
I don’t know about you, but there’s something nostalgic about catching a whiff of CK One in the air, which was all the rage when I was in middle school. Scents have a way of taking you back to a certain place and time, and it’s oh, so fun!
Thankfully, there are several clean beauty perfumes to choose from these days. Some are 100% natural while some are just less toxic than traditional. This post will focus on the mostly natural perfume options that don’t use synthetic fragrance.
Skylar and Dime are two brands that are a step up from traditional but still contain synthetic fragrances. Both brands claim to be hypoallergenic and use clean synthetics. I don’t have a Chemistry degree to argue with them, but I personally feel more comfortable wearing natural fragrances when I can.
A few years ago, I tried the Skylar sample set a few years ago and adored the fragrances. I still have some left, so they will last a long while if you only wear perfume occasionally.
What Toxins are Commonly Found in Perfume?
Phthalates including monoethyl phthalate (MEP), Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and benzyl butyl phthalate (DBP) are often found in perfumes and other scented self-care products. These endocrine disruptors. meaning they have the power to influence your hormones, are everywhere and hanging out in most of our bodies, which has been discovered in urine testing.
Parabens are a group of chemicals widely used as artificial preservatives in cosmetic and body care products. These chemicals are added to prevent and reduce the growth of harmful bacteria and mold, increasing the shelf life of the product.
Triclosan, an antimicrobial substance that was widely used in antibacterial hand soaps but banned from anti-bacterial soaps by the FDA in 2016, is still used today in some compounds such as fragrances, deodorants and toothpastes. Like phthalates and parabens, triclosan is also an endocrine disruptor.
What Health Risks do Perfumes Pose?
Perfumes and other scented self-care products are a risk to your health plain and simple. The ingredients are linked to various cancers, decreased fertility, asthma, skin dermatitis and thyroid disorder, and that’s just what we know.
Smelling good is nice, but is it really worth ruining your health over? Not to me. Plus, you can still smell lovely without touching traditional perfume. I have used any in probably 13 years, and if I stink, no one has told me ;).
If you’re interested in cutting all synthetic fragrances out of your life, see my post about the dangers of synthetic fragrances and find out how to replace them with safer products.
What is Clean Beauty Perfume?
Clean beauty perfume is going to be free of the major offenders listed in the section above like parabens, phthalates and triclosan. While the definition of “clean beauty” will vary, most agree it’s going to have fewer toxins than traditional perfume making it safer and healthier.
Non-Toxic Perfume Brands
O.k. time to get to the good part! I’ve only tried one of these (Pacifica) but based on what I’ve read and heard from others, I feel good recommending these three phthalate-free clean beauty perfumes. These non-toxic perfumes are naturally scented and free of all of the major contaminants mentioned above.
Pacifica
Pacifica is a favorite of mine, because it’s really easy to find, and it comes in many different varieties. I’ve purchased it from Amazon, Target and even Whole Foods. This is the brand I purchased for my daughter when she became interested in perfumes.
One great thing about Pacifica is the cost. It’s not especially expensive and is actually cheaper than most traditional perfumes, which is ironic considering traditional perfumes ingredients are not made from quality ingredients and are, in fact, cheap to make.
Pacifica offers rollers, traditional sprays and body sprays. They offer cute sample packs, which is the perfect way to find your favorite scent.
Lavanila
Lavanila has their own website and is available at Amazon. Hints the name, the brand is centered on the vanilla scent, but they do offer some variety like vanilla coconut, vanilla sugarcane and vanilla lavender.
Lavanila offers rollers and a spray perfume. It is slightly more expensive than Pacifica. All of their formulas are made without aluminum, petrochemicals, phthalates, propylene glycol, mineral oils, silicone, synthetic dyes, sulfates or parabens.
The Seven Virtues
The Seven Virtues perfumes are sold at Sephora. Their perfumes are made without phthalates, parabens, sulfates, formaldehydes or UV inhibitors. All formulations are Leaping Bunny certified, cruelty-free and vegan.
Their simple ingredient list for each scent is right on the webpage. The Seven Virtues offers sample sizes, a travel size and traditional size. The price is more comparable to traditional perfumes with a 1.7-ounce bottle of perfume selling for $88.
Affordable Non-Toxic Perfumes
I’m going to go with Pacifica here. Pacifica is one of the cheaper non-toxic perfumes that I have found. Start with the small variety packs to be sure you like the scent before buying a full bottle.
How to Smell Good Without Perfume?
There are lots of ways to smell good without perfume. Essential oil blends are a popular alternative to perfume often coming in convenient rollers. Natural body sprays and mists are also a great choice. Pacifica has lots of these, and they smell lovely.
Don’t want to add anything to your beauty routine? There’s always deodorant, body wash and your hair products. They actually make scented sprays specifically for your hair. If you’re freshly showered and wearing a scent or two, chances are you’ll smell pretty good even without perfume.
Conclusion
Traditional fragrances just aren’t worth the health risks, which are proven and documented in countless academic journals. The good news is that once you stop using it, you won’t miss it! Once you rid your life of synthetic fragrances, they will likely become a natural headache trigger for you.
If you’re ready to make the switch to non-toxic perfume, I hope this post helps you find a scent that you love!
