Making Sense of Scent

Did you know that synthetic fragrances have been linked to, amongst other things, headaches, rashes, skin irritation, hyper-pigmentation and dizziness? There are as many as 4000 ingredients included under the umbrella of "synthetic fragrance" and many of these ingredients have never even been tested for safety (let alone for whether they make skin itchy, dry, and discolored!). What this means is that there's literally no way to know exactly what is inside products that list "fragrance" as one of their ingredients- scary stuff! And in a world so full of naturally wonderful smelling botanicals, so unnecessary. Basically, product lines that use synthetic fragrances use them for one reason, and it's the same reason they use sulfates and petrochemicals: because they're cheap.

Another interesting fact about synthetic fragrances in perfumes and body sprays is that they're often in a base of alcohol, which intensifies the power of damaging UV rays. Many women spray this mixture of UV-damage-amplifying alcohol and skin-irritating chemical fragrance onto the delicate skin of their decolletage. Have you ever noticed how this area is one of the first places to show hyper pigmentation and other signs of age? That's one big reason.

Thankfully as more and more consumers get savvy about the importance of using clean product lines, more and more natural perfume lines are becoming available. A recent article on one of my favorite websites basenotes.com (there's something so delightful about people describing something as subjective as scent- the memories, feelings, and anecdotes it inspires are often amazing) has some fascinating interviews with a few natural perfume pioneers.

French line By Kilian, started by the heir to the Hennessy cognac brand, smells every bit as luxurious as its price tag would suggest, and local Brooklyn line D.S. and Durga makes some of the swooniest natural scents I've ever encountered. 

Additionally, there are many classes available to learn how to blend your own scents using natural essential oils. A life free of synthetic fragrances smells pretty sweet, huh?

xoxo

Om Aroma & Co. never uses synthetic fragrances, dyes, or fillers. Stop by our West Village boutique spa or visit us online.