Synthetic fragrance hides in all sorts of common household products like lotion, laundry detergent, candles and more. This post will reveal the dangers of synthetic fragrance and help you transition to a synthetic fragrance-free home.
Addicted to Downy? Don’ t worry! Once you quit synthetic fragrance, your body will soon recognize the smell for what it is and no longer care for it (just give it a little time)!
What is Synthetic Fragrance?
Synthetic fragrance is simply artificial or fake fragrance. It’s using various chemicals to create a vanilla smell without actual vanilla. It’s cheaper and easier to create scents using synthetic fragrance instead of harvesting and processing the actual scent of vanilla or lavender, etc.
When you see “fragrance” or ‘parfum” on a product label, it could represent a combination of thousands of ingredients used to make a particular scent. Ingredients that make up a given synthetic fragrance are often derived from petroleum (crude oil).
The Dangers of Synthetic Fragrance
Synthetic fragrance can include benzene derivatives (a known carcinogen), toluene, aldehydes and other known toxins that are linked to allergies, birth defects, central nervous system disorders and even cancer. Many of these ingredients are endocrine disruptors, which are compounds that affect hormonal health that can trigger weight gain and/or set you up for health issues later in life.
Why expose yourself to these yuckies if you don’t have to. Thankfully, today you can find tons of high-quality, safe alternatives for most of your favorite things that are fragrance free or naturally scented! Once you learn how to spot fragrance and what you can use instead, you will no longer have to worry about the dangers of synthetic fragrance.
How Do I Know if a Product Contains Synthetic Fragrance?
The label will tell you if a product contains synthetic fragrances. It will be listed as “fragrance,” “parfum” or “perfume.” The label will also clearly tell you if it is made with natural fragrance. It may say “natural fragrance” or “essential oil blend.” Usually, if a company is willing to pay the extra cost of using natural fragrances, they will brag about it or at least make it easy to find.
One of my favorite resources for personal care items is EWG’s Skin Deep. This database rates personal care products by the safety of their ingredients. You can access it through the EWG (Environmental Working Group) website or download the app. Products now have the option to become EWG verified. If you see an the EWG seal of approval, rest assured the ingredients have been scrutinized and rated by the EWG.
Essential Oils
One important thing to note is that the EWG will ping some natural fragrances as well. It’s important not to give essential oils a free pass just because they are natural. It’s important to look at the safety of each oil individually and be sure that no one has an allergy to an oil. If you decide to apply an oil topically, you can test a single diluted drop on the skin.
You also want to make sure you are using a safe dosage even if you do not have any allergies to oils. As with many things, the dose is often the poison. I personally love essential oils and use them for several things, but it’s good to remember how powerful they are. For the same reason they can be used as therapeutics, they have the ability to create an undesired result.
A good example of this is using menthol oils (peppermint, spearmint and eucalyptus) on infants of young children. For the same reason, it is powerful enough to open up nasal passages, it may be powerful enough to slow breathing. I highly recommend researching essential oils before using them. The Tisserand Institute is an excellent resource for essential oil safety.
You also want to be extremely cautious using essential oils if you have pets. There is a lengthy list of oils that are toxic to pets or even potentially deadly to pets. There are also many that are believed to be perfectly safe and even beneficial.
Personal Care Products
Personal care products are a great place to start, since they go directly on your body and are absorbed through the skin. Our skin is our largest organ. Women especially come in contact with so many toxins via personal care products.
We may paint our nails, dye our hair, wear perfume, apply sunless tanner, use multiple hair products, face creams, etc. All of the combined exposures can really add up. Because of this, women need to be even more diligent in learning about the dangers of synthetic fragrance and minimizing exposure.
Body Wash and Lotion
I feel like this one is pretty easy. There are tons of clean body washes and lotions on the market these days. Many more than when I started this journey over ten years ago.
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Dr. Bronner’s
Dr. Bronner’s soaps are some of my favorites. They are extremely versatile. You can literally use them for everything from washing your face to cleaning the bathroom. I like to buy the giant bottles, predilute them (instructions on bottle) then put them into smaller bottles to keep throughout the house. This is also more cost effective then buying their small bottles.
If you buy the peppermint, dilute, dilute, dilute and don’t give it to your littles at bath time. Even my school-age kids have gotten it in their eye a time or two. Ouch!
Dr. Bronner’s soaps come with a crazy long list of assurances. They are fully biodegradable and use all-natural, vegan ingredients that pose no threat to the environment. They are made with over 90% organic ingredients and over 70% of ingredients are certified fair trade. The soaps are plant-based with no synthetic preservatives, thickeners or foaming agents. They do not test on animals and are cruelty-free.
Their packaging consists of 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles. Speaking of packaging, be sure to check out the label on the Dr. Bronner’s soaps. There is a neat history behind the label, but that’s a story for another day.
Everyone
I’m a big fan of Everyone body washes and lotions. You really get a lot of bang for your buck with their products. They are available on Amazon as well as often at Marshalls and TJ Maxx. If you are on a budget, these may be a good option for you. They offer bubble baths, body washes, hand soaps and more.
Everyone products are EWG verified, GMO free, cruelty free, gluten free, triclosan free, and synthetic fragrance free. This means no parabens or phthalates. It’s also pretty cool that they have a Zero Waste Mission. In 2019, they diverted 90% of our waste from landfills. Their bottles and packaging are made from recycled material—this even includes their shipping boxes.
Perfume and Deodorant
As for perfume, once you cut out synthetic fragrances from your life, you may not want it anymore or at least not often. You know joke about “church lady perfume”? This is how most any perfume may begin to smell to you once your body adjusts. If you are looking for an occasional subtle scent to wear for a date night or just to spice up life here a few brands that do not contain synthetic fragrances.
Pacifica
Pacifica is my personal favorite. They offer rollers as well as traditional sprays. Their perfume is free of phthalates, parabens, sulfates, petroleum and lots of other potentially harmful ingredients per their website.
Target and Amazon both carry an extensive line of Pacifica products. They offer much more than just perfume. My local Target actually has several rows of their fragrance testers, so you can try before you buy. So fun!
Ecco Bella
Ecco Bella comes highly recommended within the non-toxic community. One nice thing about the brand is that they sell samples. I don’t know about you, but I definitely like to test perfume before investing in a full-size bottle. Their products are paraben free. They are also free of alcohol, talc, FD and C dyes. They do not use animal products except for carmine in the pink colors in their makeup line. Their scents are all naturally derived.
I have not personally tried their perfume, but I had a good experience with another product of theirs. I know others who use and enjoy their perfume—I may order a sample soon.
There are at least a gazillion natural deodorants on the market these days! Yay! Typically, a natural deodorant will use natural fragrance, but definitely still check the label to be sure. I have been caught off guard before by assuming. Here are a few brands with clean ingredients and natural scents.
Schmidts
Schmidts Aluminum Free Natural Deodorant is widely available. I see it at my local grocery store, the discount designer stores like Marshalls and TJ Maxx. It’s also available at Target and on Amazon. I have tried several scents and liked them all.
My only complaint is that it tends to harden over time so use it quickly. I read on the label one day to hold it to your skin to warm it up/soften it. I don’t know who has time for that, but if you do then maybe give that a try, ha!
Schmidt’s is vegan and uses 100% natural origin ingredients. It never contains vegan deodorant never contains aluminum, artificial fragrance, propylene glycol, phthalates or parabens. The price point on these is not too bad if you shop around.
Tom’s of Maine and Native (some versions)
Tom’s of Maine is as affordable as some of the traditional brands of deodorant, which I appreciate. It is free of formaldehyde, synthetic fragrances, polyethylene glycol (PEG), phthalates, artificial colors and aluminum to name a few.
My favorite thing about Tom’s is how they appeal to all members of the family. They have a Wicked Cool Kids Deodorant, which my daughter loves. We tried several before finding it, and it’s the clear winner.
Unfortunately, I recently saw Tom’s has added aluminum back into their men’s formula. They describe it as a cleaner virgin aluminum free of petrochemicals. Admittedly, this is new news to me, so I haven’t researched it thoroughly.
I’m a little bummed, because they offer some really nice scents for the guys … think lumberjack or mountain man! I’ll be pausing on the men’s line for now.
Native has amazing reviews from people who claim to have tried all other natural deodorants to no avail, but unfortunately the brand uses artificial fragrance, which is surprising considering the clean label.
The good news is that they offer an unscented version with an EWG rating of 1. If you can live without a scent, definitely give it a try! For more deodorant details, check out my related post Natural Deodorants That Actually Work.
Shampoo and Hair Care
If you are like me and have straight, fine hair that easily gets oily, you may like some of these first options. Unfortunately, I have to wash my hair daily if I want it to look nice. I usually go for a volume shampoo, but the first 3 brands I’m about to go over carry options for most hair types.
Avalon Organics
One of my favorites for fine hair is Avalon Organics Therapy Thickening Shampoo. This one is fantastic if you are on a budget. They offer a large 32 oz. pump bottle for around $13. This is an amazing price for that amount of high-quality shampoo.
Avalon Organics uses a certified organic, plant-based formula. Their products do not contain GMOs, parabens, harsh preservatives, synthetic colors or fragrances or phthalates. It’s also vegan and not tested on animals.
Acure
Acure Vivacious Volume Shampoo is another personal favorite. It’s also very affordable, and they offer everything from extra volume to hydration. Acure products are paraben free, sulfate free, mineral oil free, petrolatum free, formaldehyde free and certified cruelty free.
Andalou Naturals
Another widely available clean shampoo option is Andalou Naturals. Andalou products are 98% nature-derived and vegetarian (mostly vegan). Their products are gluten-free and cruelty-free and non-GMO. I have used their shampoo at times, but currently use their hairspray. It adds a little structure without making hair too stiff and has light citrus scent.
Shea Moisture
My daughter has extremely curly and thick hair, and most all Shea Moisture products work beautifully for her. They have a wide range of products based on hair type. Here is a hair type chart to help you find what products may work for you.
The brand is definitely geared towards curly hair, but they do offer a few products for people with straight hair. Their products are always free of parabens, phthalates, mineral oil, petroleum and formaldehyde.
Candles and Wax Melts
Hopefully, all of the Bath and Body Works fanatics out there won’t write me off as an extremist, but the unfortunate truth is that while candles smell delicious, they are not delicious for you. Nearly all of them contain synthetic fragrances, which harm indoor air quality among the things we covered earlier.
Hopefully, all of the Bath and Body Works fanatics out there won’t write me off as an extremist, but the unfortunate truth is that while candles smell delicious, they are not delicious for you. Nearly all of them contain synthetic fragrances, which harm indoor air quality among the things we covered earlier.
When a candle contains synthetic fragrances, it simply means the delectable aromas were manufactured in a lab vs. derived from nature by the things they actually smell like. It’s actually kind of funny if you think about it! The reason is simple: the cost. It’s cheaper and easier to create peppermint fragrance in a lab than actually grow and harvest peppermint then manufacture the scent.
Wax Melts
Wax melts and any type of plugins generally carry all of the same offenses as candles. Actually, they may be worse, since you generally leave them “on” all the time, whereas candles are used occasionally.
If you choose to burn candles, look for those made from 100% beeswax, soy or palm oil. These candles burn clean and are generally nontoxic and allergy friendly. Don’t be fooled by candles that say, “infused with essential oils.” This lingo just means they tossed in some essential oils on top of the synthetic fragrances.
Gotta love marketing! Beeswax offers a subtle natural aroma on it’s own. For a stronger scent, you can get yummy smelling candles made with pure essential oils (ones that you are comfortable using). You can also simply add a few drops of an essential oil to an unscented candle as it is burning.
Here’s a link to my absolute favorite candles on Amazon. I never dreamed I’d find a 100% natural candle with so much aroma. The orange, clove and cinnamon is perfect for the holidays. The peppermint is also amazing!
Laundry Detergent and Fabric Softeners
When my daughter was a few months old, she developed a good case of eczema on her body mostly where her clothes touched her skin. Her diaper area and face were pretty clear. The first step I took was moving to plant-based detergent.
I had already been using Dreft and All Free and Clear. At the time, there was literally only one plant-based option on the market at least that I could find. Once we started using it, 90% of her eczema cleared almost immediately.
Ecos
Now, there are many, many options for plant-based detergents. One of my favorites is Ecos. This comes in liquid form either free and clear or scented. I generally don’t use a lot of fragrances (even natural ones) on my kiddos, so I opt for the free and clear version for our clothing but enjoy the Lavender scent for towels, blankets and such.
Molly’s Suds
Molly’s Suds is another clean laundry option. This one comes is a powder. I really appreciate their powerful peppermint scent for my really dirty laundry like my son’s baseball uniform or the towels I use to wipe down the dogs! If you are accustomed to strong-smelling detergents like Tide, Molly’s Suds might be a good choice for you.
Wool Dryer Balls
Recently, I was in the laundry isle at my local grocery store and a man who was obviously having a mental debate between the Downy and Gain fabric softener turned to me and asked, “Which one do you use?”. I thought maybe he was newly single or his spouse had sent him with an incomplete list.
I said “Oh, I actually use wool dryer balls.” He looked at me totally puzzled, mumbled something and turned back around. The conversation didn’t go any further, but in retrospect, I probably should have elaborated on how awesome wool dryer balls are.
They are safe, super easy and ridiculously cheap when you compare them to the cost buying fabric softener month after month. I’ve had mine for 6-7 years, and they still seem to work great. The recommendation, which I just read, is to change them out every 2-4 years! Oops! It’s probably time for me to order a new set.
When searching for wool dryer balls, you want to look for 100% New Zealand wool from a company that you trust. Molly’s Suds, who we just talked about, actually has their own wool dryer balls. They are made from humanely treated and sheared sheep in New Zealand and certified Cruelty Free by Leaping Bunny.
Avocado is another trust-worthy company to consider. They are known for their eco-friendly mattresses. Their dryer balls are made with GOTS certified wool—this is as good as it gets. They claim to sell the only dryer balls made with wool certified to the Responsible Wool Standard. These are just slightly more expensive than the ones Molly Sud’s offers.
Car and Fabric Air Fresheners
Thankfully, I never liked those trees people hang from the rearview mirror. The smell has always been overwhelming to me. For the car, I have used the charcoal bags under the seats, a natural odor eliminator spray from my local supermarket and my favorite trick, crack your windows often.
Be smarter than me and check the weather first! I have gotten wet seats a few times using this trick. Seriously, though, fresh air can do wonders!
As you may know, car upholstery contains flame retardants and other yuckies, so keeping windows down when possible also helps with off gassing. If you are really into scents, you might want to check out Grow. From what I have read, it seems like a decent option. Let me know if you have tried it and how you liked it!
Where to begin?
If you are new at eliminating synthetic fragrances, then this list may seem quite extensive. My advice would be to start cleaning up the products that go on your body first then move on to what’s in your environment. I would probably prioritize it in the order it’s listed here: personal care, laundry, home (candles/scents) then car.
The good news is as you cut these smells out of your life, you probably won’t miss them. Your body will begin to recognize them for what they are, and they will smell less desirable to you and possibly even make you feel unwell. You will naturally become more smell sensitive.
The bad news is that it may be harder to shop in Kirklands or visit your candle-obsessed friend. I just try to limit my time in places that trigger me and take fresh-air breaks as needed. I hope you learned something new about the dangers of synthetic fragrance and how to avoid or replace it in your home and lifestyle.
