Ditch the toxins hiding in your products. Understand what artificial fragrance is and how to avoid it. 

Did you know that most shampoo, conditioner, lotion, makeup and household products contain an ingredient called ‘fragrance’? When I first noticed this ingredient, which took a while, I assumed it meant a mix of oils and natural ingredients with a pleasant scent. For a long time, I didn’t quite understand this ingredient. But when I discovered the truth, it shocked me.

As I became more interested in a healthier lifestyle, I started really studying the ingredients in the products and food in my home. So, one day, I decided to look at what was in my apple-scented shampoo. One of the ingredients that really stuck out to me was ‘fragrance.’ I thought, “Well, that’s a broad term, so what could this ‘fragrance’ be made of?” 

I researched this mysterious ingredient and learned much about fragrance, its truth and how it lurks in countless products. So, I wanted to share with you what fragrance really is.

What Is Fragrance?

Fragrance is an ingredient that’s in more products than you can count. Its function is to give a product a nice and sweet smell — hence the word ‘fragrance.’ But this ingredient is actually an umbrella for all sorts of harsh chemicals. 

Any company can list fragrance as an ingredient and be allowed to leave out the exact ingredient it contains. Pretty shady, right?

Sometimes, fragrances have some natural contents, but the majority are chemicals — sometimes hundreds of them in just one product. According to the International Fragrance Association, more than 3,500 chemicals are used in fragrance. That’s extremely frightening because these chemicals are hidden. We all deserve to know what’s put into the products we use. 

These chemicals are dangerous and can pose many health risks. Learning as much as we can about the risks can help us better guard ourselves from them. 

The Risks of Synthetic Fragrance

I still find it difficult to understand how thousands of unsafe chemicals can be used in countless products. The risks are real, especially with fragrance. 

Here are just some of the many issues that chemicals within fragrance can cause or lead to:

• Skin allergies

• Respiratory problems

• Reproductive hazards

• Neurological issues

• Endocrine disruption

• Raise cancer risk

• Headaches and migraines

Sheesh, those are definitely some things I don’t want to experience. That’s why I started being more proactive and serious when it came to fragrance. I now make sure to avoid this ingredient at all costs.

How to Avoid and Identify This Ingredient

To find fragrance-free products, you have to understand how they can be listed in the ingredients. Several names are often used for fragrance, all of which can be added to the ingredient label. 

These are the names commonly used for fragrance:

• Fragrance

• Parfum

• Aroma

• Perfume

• Odorant

• Scent

• Flavor

Watch out for these names when checking ingredients. It’s safer to avoid products that contain fragrance and dodge all the harmful impacts on your health. 

Now that you know how to identify and avoid this danger let me show you some ways to ditch the toxins and opt for cleaner products. 

Clean Swaps That Nourish

We are lucky that companies are now prioritizing clean and safe ingredients. Check out some ways you can swap your products for fragrance-free ones and peace of mind.

Scented Candles for Beeswax Candles:

Most candles at the store are full of fragrance. That’s why they have such a vast variety of scents throughout the entire aisle.

When you burn candles, they release harmful chemicals into the air around you. That fragrance is released as well — and while it may smell good, it’s still very much toxic.

This is why you should toss out those scented candles and buy some beeswax candles. Try to find 100% beeswax, and make sure to check the ingredients and that the beeswax is really the only ingredient. 

Beeswax candles also burn longer and have a lovely natural smell — the faint aroma of honey. When burned, they produce negative ions, which can clean toxins out of the air. 

BEST SWAP: Savannah Bee Co. Organic Beeswax Candles

Wax Melts or Wall Plug-Ins for Essential Oil Diffusers: 

While wax melts and wall plug-ins may leave your house smelling oh-so-fresh, they leave behind a whole lot of toxins. Especially because they are full of fragrance. 

Instead of buying wax melts or plug-ins, opt for an essential oil diffuser. Plug it in, add some water and a couple of drops of essential oils, and let it work its magic. Your house will smell amazing and be so much more natural. Make sure to use 100% pure and organic essential oils. 

Here are some essential oils to diffuse and their benefits:

• Lavender Oil: Diffusing lavender can calm stress and anxiety, help with sleep and relieve pain. 

• Peppermint Oil: Peppermint is great when you feel run down or when you’re catching a cold. It can help alleviate many symptoms.

• Eucalyptus Oil: It can help eliminate congestion. For relief, you can even add peppermint and eucalyptus to your diffuser together.

• Lemon Oil: Diffuse for a delicious, lemony scent. It can also kill bacteria and reduce nausea!

• Orange Oil: This one has benefits similar to lemon oil and can be paired with lemon oil for a wonderful citrus smell. Diffuse to reduce anxiety and clean the air.

• Frankincense Oil: Frankincense can aid in reducing inflammation and has a very calming overall scent. 

Enjoy filling your home with these nourishing and wholesome essential oils. This way, you can say goodbye to artificial fragrances and their associated risks.

BEST SWAP: Organic Essential Oils & Essential Oil Diffusers

Dish and Hand Soap for Castile Soap:

Soap is something we can’t live without, so choosing clean options is important. The majority of hand and dish soaps contain fragrance. 

This means a soap’s fragrance is released into the air and put on our skin — which is not good. Fragrance can highly irritate the skin and cause many health issues. 

Castile soap is the best and most non-toxic option for soap. It can be used as hand soap, dish soap and body wash. It contains no fragrance, only natural and healthy ingredients. 

My favorite castile soap is Dr. Bronner’s Unscented Castile Soap — it’s made with organic ingredients you can trust. It’s also verified by EWG, which is a huge plus.

BEST SWAP: Dr. Bronner’s Unscented Castile Soap

Laundry Detergent for Unscented Natural Detergent:

Average laundry detergents come in various scents to make your clothes smell good. But again, this is just because of fragrance. Using this kind of detergent is incredibly harmful — the chemicals and fragrances absorb in your clothes. When you wear those clothes, your skin will absorb all the toxins. 

Molly’s Suds Unscented Laundry Detergent Powder is the best solution out there. This laundry soap is made from clean and pure ingredients that will keep you safe. Being unscented makes this soap safe for babies and kids as well. 

Changing your laundry detergent is a big step in the right direction — because the residue from our laundry products lingers on us all day.

BEST SWAP: Molly’s Suds Unscented Laundry Detergent Powder 

Scented Shampoo for Tallow and Honey Shampoo:

Finding a clean shampoo that isn’t full of scents and fragrances is so hard. But recently, I stumbled across a great swap. It has great reviews and is full of beneficial ingredients. 

Meet Health y Sol Liquid Tallow and Honey Soap — it’s free from fragrance and has clean and organic ingredients. I love that grass-fed and finished beef tallow is such a key ingredient.

Beef tallow has some great benefits for promoting healthy hair, including:

• Fatty acids that thoroughly moisturize hair

• Packed with vitamins and nutrients that strengthen hair

• Keeping your scalp healthy and repairing damage

I really love this shampoo for its transparency in ingredients and for all benefits!

BEST SWAP: Health y Sol Liquid Tallow and Honey Soap

Regular Perfume for Natural Vegan Perfume:

Most perfumes are packed with harmful chemicals that can cause numerous health issues and allergic reactions. These synthetic ingredients can also linger in your environment, exposing you and others to toxins throughout the day.

For a healthier, safer option, switch to Just the Goods Vegan Perfume. This brand is committed to cruelty-free products, most of which are EWG-verified. 

Making the switch to this vegan perfume is better for your health and a meaningful step toward a cleaner, more sustainable lifestyle. You’ll smell amazing without compromising your well-being.

BEST SWAP: Just the Goods Vegan Perfume

Fragrance-Free Is Best

I’m extremely passionate about providing all my customers with healthy and nurturing products that contain only the cleanest ingredients. 

All of my products are fragrance-free — only pure essential oils are used in our scented products. Shop for our health & home products and our essential oil rollers for clean products that’ll elevate your well-being! 

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