I love perfumes, and I have used everything from dollar-store varieties to the ones from high-end fashion brands. As I started my IVF journey, I realized the problem with perfumes (presence of pthalates, paraben and other harmful chemicals) and stopped using them.
In a previous blog post, I covered the problem with phthalates and how they adversely affect fertility for both men and women and their negative impact on success with IVF treatments.
Read Reducing Phthalate Exposure for Improved IVF Outcomes: A Personal Journey and Practical Guide
As with other cosmetics, unlike what one may imagine, it is not all natural things like floral extracts that go into making a perfume. There may not be any natural extracts; instead, they may be filled with chemicals like phthalates and parabens that can harm your health.
Read along to know about pthalate and paraben free perfume brands.
Quick Navigation
- What are the roles of parabens and phthalates in perfumes?
- How do I know my perfume is clean?
- What if I buy only high-end luxury brands?
- How do you choose a long-lasting phthalate-free perfume?
- Natural vs Clean perfume?
- Best Clean Perfume Brands (With Synthetics).
- Best Clean Perfume Brands (No Synthetics. All natural).
- Trivia.
What are the roles of parabens and phthalates in perfumes?
Parabens have antimicrobial properties and act as preservatives by inhibiting the growth of harmful organisms like bacteria and fungi.
(To know more about parabens in cosmetics, read Are Parabens In Cosmetics Safe To Use?)
Phthalates are used as ‘fixatives’ in perfumes. They help the fragrance last longer and give it an even, consistent scent.
How do I know my perfume is clean?
You can be sure that if a brand makes pthalate free perfume or paraben free perfume, it will announce it on their package. That said, studies have found that cosmetics may contain harmful chemicals not listed in their ingredients list.
Look for ‘fragrance’ or ‘parfum ’ in the ingredients list. Unless it is specified that it is from natural sources, you should assume it has phthalates in it.
Remember that companies are legally permitted not to disclose the full ingredients list stating intellectual property rights on the formula.
Watch- STINK! The movie the chemical industry does not want you to see.
What if I buy only high-end luxury brands?
Unfortunately, spending more money on perfume from a luxury brand does not necessarily equate to a phthalate free perfume or a paraben free perfume.
Just a look at the ingredient list of perfumes from high-end brands will make it clear that they are not clean perfumes.
How do you choose a long-lasting phthalate-free perfume?
Phthalates make scents last longer; thus, when removed from perfumes, the scent will dissipate faster, making short lasting scent a common complaint with phthalate-free perfumes.
Generally speaking, perfumes that use heavier, amber, or resinous ingredients will last longer, whereas one made of lighter citrusy ingredients will dissipate faster.
To know more about making your natural perfume last longer, read: Make your natural perfume last longer.
Natural vs Clean perfume?
It is important to note that not all clean fragrances are made from natural sources.
There are two main categories of clean perfumes- one made from 100% natural sources and the other that combines synthetic with natural ingredients.
Those made from synthetic ingredients will be similar in feel and fragrance to conventional perfumes. In contrast, those made of natural materials will smell and look different from mainstream perfume and will cost significantly more.
For example, I bought a 100% natural jasmine perfume or ‘attar’ from the famed Gulab Singh Jhorimal that is dark brown in color (it stains light-colored clothes!) and had a deeper and less ‘floral’ smell to it compared to the conventional jasmine fragrance we are exposed to in beauty products.
*All the brands listed here are free of parabens, phthalates, dyes, and other harmful chemicals like formaldehyde unless specified. Look into individual brand pages for more details.
Reminder: Companies change their formulas frequently, and the ingredient list may vary by country. Hence, always check the ingredient list before using any product.
Best Clean Perfume Brands (With Synthetics)
- Cruelty-free.
- Climate-neutral.
- Vegan.
- Founded by celebrity makeup artist Rosie Jane Johnston, who created her fragrance brand when every fragrance made her nauseous while pregnant.
- Made with sustainable ingredients.
- Vegan.
- Cruelty-free.
- The brand also includes skincare essentials like lotions and deodorants.
- Vegan.
- Cruelty-free.
- Carbon neutral.
- One percent of all sales are donated to 1% For The Planet.
- PETA certified.
- Cruelty-free.
- Vegan.
- With biodegradable or reusable, recyclable packaging.
- Vegan.
- Cruelty-free.
- Sustainably sourced.
- The range includes home fragrance.
- Founded by Michelle Pfeiffer.
- EWG verified.
- Not tested on animals.
- The range also includes candles and body sprays.
- Handcrafted with organic sugarcane alcohol.
- Vanilla centric fragrance.
- Vegan.
- Vegan.
- Cruelty-free.
- Certified climate neutral.
- Donate 1% of the revenue for environmental causes.
- Involved with Reforestation projects with the National Forest Foundation.
- The range includes home fragrance and body care.
- Black-owned.
- Vegan.
- Cruelty-free.
- Use both natural and synthetic ingredients.
- Sustainable packaging.
- The range includes body wash and lotions.
- Sustainable model.
- Vegan.
- Cruelty-free.
- ‘Built on circular economy – alternative business model enables the women in our supply chain to become micro-entrepreneurs by up-cycling the waste products from perfume production.’
- The range includes candles.
- Vegan.
- Cruelty-free.
- The range includes hair and body mist.
- Sustainable and eco-friendly packaging.
- Uses ‘sustainably sourced ingredients from nations rebuilding after war or strife.’
- Vegan.
- PETA certified cruelty-free.
- Vegan certified by Leaping Bunny.
Best Clean Perfume Brands (No Synthetics. All natural)
- Vegan.
- Cruelty-free.
- Also has natural room sprays.
- Hand-blended and bottled in small batches.
- Makes custom perfumes and gives perfumery classes.
- The range includes solid perfumes.
- Hand blended in Florida.
- The range includes candles, bath and body products.
- Situated in a busy and narrow alley of Old Delhi, India, it has been In business since 1816.
- Sells fragrances made entirely from natural, plant-derived ingredients (attar) and conventional perfumes.
- Does not ship internationally.
- Handcrafted in small batches in LA.
- Unisex.
- Vegan.
- Cruelty-free.
- The range includes candles and bath and body products.
- Cruelty-free.
- Vegan.
- The range includes 100% botanical and ‘mixed media’ perfumes blended with phthalate- and paraben-free, high-quality aroma chemicals.
- Hawaii-based organic skincare brand.
- Has a handful of fragrances made from 100% essential oils.
- Base made with organic alcohol from grapes.
- 100% essential oil-based perfumes.
- 100% natural perfume.
- Rhode Island-based, where they teach perfumery classes.
- The range includes candles.
- NYC-based organic skincare company.
- Vegan.
- Cruelty-free.
- Hydrodistilled fragrances from certified organic plants.
- Certified organic grape alcohol as a base.
- 100% all-natural botanical perfume.
- Small batch artisanal perfumery operated by husband & wife team out of Colorado.
- Handcrafted in small batches.
- Vegan.
- Cruelty-free.
- The alcohol base is from USDA organic grape alcohol.
Trivia
The most expensive perfume recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records is Clive Christian No.1 Imperial Majesty, priced at $205,000 per 500ml and presented in a Baccarat crystal flacon decorated with a five-carat white diamond and an 18-carat gold collar. Only 10 of these bottles were made, and the price included delivery in a Bentley!
Sponsored post
This post is in collaboration with Amazon, but all the product choices and opinions are my own.
Comments