Fragrance is the new second hand smoke. Being clean and smelling great should never mean using manufactured, toxic substances that you will inhale and absorb.
Think about this: If you climbed to the top of a mountain and took a deep breath of fresh air, compared to a deep inhale of a “mountain fresh” home cleaner or scented candle, you would notice a difference in how it makes you feel, right?
We are conditioned to understand that littering is bad, and that pollution is toxic – But using fragrance in your home, or workplace, or on your body is also polluting our shared air and world. Whenever you buy products with fragrance, you are telling companies to keep making it (and those involved in the manufacturing are affected terribly as well).
If you insist on wearing a scent, or scenting a space, please consider these ways to smell fresh, while going fragrance free.
FRAGRANCE FREE BODY
Take a shower.
Get clean using water and products that are free of parabens, phthalates, synthetic fragrances, and other yucky ingredients. Remember: being truly clean is vastly different from the synthetic scent that big companies call “clean”.
Understand that sweat is not the enemy.
Here’s the down low on BO: One square inch of your skin has about 650 sweat glands that need to be free and clear to get on with their important jobs. Most antiperspirants work by blocking, clogging and closing your pores with powerful astringents so they can’t release sweat. But you want to sweat (you NEED to sweat) – it’s the body’s natural cooling process, and aids in detoxification by letting the toxins out.
Use an effective, toxin-free deodorant.
Not all deodorants are created equal. You can still prevent BO with natural antiseptic agents. Listen to this clip from a Conversation in Wellness Intelligence with Dr. Kimberley Ramberan and Green Beaver’s Alain Menard where we tried to answer the question “Can natural deodorant really work?”
Choose natural perfumes. Find your signature scent and skip the headache-inducing synthetic fragrances. Try an aromatherapy body spray from Love North.
FRAGRANCE FREE AIR
Clean Cleaning Ingredients
Your home is important. Keep the place you live, eat, play, sleep, and breathe free of harmful chemicals and artificial fragrances. Swap out conventional cleaning products for nontoxic cleaning ingredients like baking soda, castile soap (try Green Beaver’s which is made from organic Canadian ingredients – special offer for TWIC members here), vinegar, lemon juice, and essential oils (not all essential oils are created equal!).
Refreshingly Fresh Air
The best air-freshener is actually FRESH AIR. Air fresheners don’t remove odors, they simply mask them. Open the window before reaching for a spray.
Sensible Sprays
If you need to spray your home, choose something made with pure ingredients. When it comes to the scented products we inhale in our own homes, shouldn’t they be safe for our bodies too? Love North‘s aromatherapy sprays are safe for room and body (just as room sprays should be!)
Flower Power
When your favourite bouquet of organic flowers is starting to turn, use the flowers to make your own DIY potpourri! You can customize the scent by adding some organic citrus fruits and whole spices, too.
Breathe and be Happy.
Fill your living space with the soft scent of your favourite organic essential oils (I use and trust these brands) using a diffuser or nebulizer – it won’t just smell good, it will boost your mood and relax you too!
Bottom line: Fresh air doesn’t actually smell like anything. You shouldn’t smell cleaning chemicals or other people (at the restaurant, theatre, or park). The best fresh air comes from the great outdoors, and your best scent comes from a clean body and confidence.
