Replacing Toxic "Fragrance" with Non-Toxic Alternatives
Take a look at your household items like shampoo, surface spray or laundry detergent. Now flip it over and read the ingredients. Look towards the bottom of the list and you might see the word “fragrance” or “parfum”. Seems simple right? Wrong.
While you might assume that “fragrance” is just one ingredient, it’s actually anywhere from 1 to over 3,000 chemicals that companies are not obligated to share with consumers. Unfortunately, upwards of 75% of these hidden chemicals contain phthalates which can cause myriad of health issues, such as: cancer, birth defects, nervous system disorders, asthma, and allergies.
Clearly the side effects of using synthetic fragrances are no bueno, so what do we do about it? We work on transitioning our household items to fragrance-free or natural fragrance options. But where do we find them? How do we get the motivation to trade our tried & true for new products? We come prepared! Here’s a list of some healthy, non-toxic swaps!
Laundry Detergent
I used the Seventh Generation detergent for about 3 years & it’s great! It has a lavender scent from pure essential oils. The scent is nice & light, but doesn’t linger on your clothes once they’re washed. I recently started using the Better Life detergent because I just love everything I’ve tried from this company. Happy to report that I love it! The scent is light & it’s a concentrate, so you don’t need as much. And of course, the clothes come out clean! The Biokleen detergent is one that I’ve heard really great things about, too, from others in the clean beauty circle!
Dryer Sheets
Personally, I haven’t used dryer sheets in a couple of years because traditionally they are LOADED with chemicals. If you’re not quite ready to give them up, these dryer sheets from Stoneworks are made with all essential oils. I love using wool dryer balls for laundry! I love that they are reusable for up to 1,000 loads, so it cuts down on waste. You can even add a few drops of your favorite oils to them! I’ve also used lavender sachets to add a little bit of natural scent to fresh laundry. These are found at Trader Joe’s, but you can probably even make your own!
Dish Soap
I loveeeeee this Better Life dish soap. It’s tough on stuck on food & I love the lemon mint scent from essential oils. The Seventh Generation soap is a great option, too & they also have it in natural scents as well. This one from Puracy looks like a great option, although I haven’t personally tried it myself.
Hand Soap
I just got this Puracy hand soap from Target & it smells heavenly! Interestingly, their foaming hand soap has “natural fragrance” on the label, but the liquid does not & lists the oils only. While “natural fragrance” sounds safe, it’s hard to no for sure; better safe than sorry! I’ve also heard great things about his Kosmetology foaming hand soap as well! This organic sugar soap from Dr. Bronner’s looks amazing & is on my list to try!
Non-Toxic Air Solutions
Finding an air freshener without harsh chemicals is a challenge, because most things that boast the claim “long lasting” means there are stronger chemicals to make it linger. I was happy to find this natural spray from Fresh Wave! We have it in our bathroom & it provides a light scent that doesn’t linger or pollute the air. Another way to freshen the air in your home is through diffusing essential oils. You want to use high quality, 100% pure therapeutic grade oils and if you have kids or animals, be sure the oils you’re using are safe to use. And no, I don’t sell oils—but I’m guessing you know 15 people who do, so I’ll let them battle it out.
And OK, let’s talk about candles—please don’t hate me. If you’re avoiding synthetic fragrance, you’ll find candles to be a big offender. Not only are many candles made from paraffin wax, which is a petroleum byproduct releasing tons of chemicals into the air, but they’re also full of synthetic fragrance that pollutes your home with mystery, possibly carcinogenic chemicals. I know this is a hard pill to swallow—I feel it too! If the idea of giving up candles is more than you can fathom, try to use beeswax based candles scented with essential oils, or even unscented if you just want the ambiance of a candle burning. I just bought this candle from Bluecorn Beeswax Aromatherapy & it's lovely!
Body Lotion
Body lotion is something that can be pretty difficult to find without synthetic fragrances. And I hate to break it to you, but Bath & Body Works is definitely not made with pure ingredients. I love the Seaweed Bath Co. lotion in the Eucalyptus & Peppermint scent; it makes every day feel like a spa day! I also currently have a bottle of this Alaffia body lotion and it’s a great value. Avalon Organics is another great brand & I’m sure the lavender scent would bring total relaxation to your post-shower routine!
Shampoo & Conditioner
I loveeeeeee the shampoo & conditioner I use from Innersense Organics! Plus they smell amazing but are totally natural. Another brand that I’m excited about is Seed Phytonutrients. I actually won an Instagram giveaway recently (yes, people actually win those!) and I am expecting a box of shampoo, conditioner & an anti-frizz cream. So jazzed because not only are they totally clean, but when you finish the bottle you can open it up & there are seeds that you can plant! Also, this shampoo from Acure looks awesome—especially because it’s only $10!
Perfume
Obviously, the whole idea of perfume is founded on the concept of synthetic fragrances—which, as you hopefully know by now, is so risky when it comes to clean beauty products. But if the idea of no body spray or perfume makes you super duper sad, then here are a few options. Pacifica has a few pretty scents that use a proprietary blend of “natural and essential oils”. Although a bit pricey, this “essence” from Leahlani Skincare uses essential oils as well! Another great option is to use essential oils as perfume! Using essential oil roller blends are a great option to add a subtle scent, with therapeutic properties. I like these from Rocky Mountain Oils.
As a side note: Whatever you choose to use as a perfume, use it sparingly to be mindful of those who cannot tolerate fragrances—even natural ones. This air is all of ours & someone with sensitivities is just as entitled to safe, clean air as you are!
Of course this isn’t an exhaustive list of clean products, but I hope this helps get you started or at least thinking in the right direction! When looking for products, do a quick scan of the ingredient list and look for the word “fragrance” or “parfum” and try to avoid them if you can. Did I miss any of your favs? Let me know—I’m always looking for new, clean products to add to my list!
