What is Organic Perfume

Organic perfumes are made up from natural products and contain none of the additional chemicals and synthetic scents that commercial perfumes are made from. They are manufactured using pure essential oils which not only offer an amazing variety of scents but which also contain therapeutic benefits, so in addition to smelling great, your perfumes could also be treating any ailments or long term health conditions you may have. 

In contrast, many commercial perfumes can cause health problems and/or exacerbate some conditions you may already be suffering from, such as allergic reactions, headaches, hormone disruption, increased severity of asthma or eczema conditions, thyroid complications and a suppressed immune system. These health risks are caused by the chemicals which are included in the perfume recipes and which, because of the secrecy clauses included in the manufacture of commercially branded perfumes, are often undisclosed on the product packaging. 

Many of the chemicals included are petrochemicals and are derived from either petroleum or natural gases, and it is around half of these chemicals which are not required to be disclosed. More worrying is that over 300 of these chemicals can be used in perfume manufacture and around 43% of these are untested and have no FDA approval.

The scent of commercial perfumes does tend to last longer than an organic perfume but again, this is due to added fixative chemicals such as Diethyl Phthalates. The possible health costs of regular use of these chemicals in the perfume you wear is extremely high and can include an increased risk of developing cancer, possible birth defects and low sperm count. 

An Environment Defence Group conducted a study on the presence of chemicals in 3 new born babies. The findings showed the presence of 137 chemicals. Not all of the chemicals found in the newborns are used in perfumes, however a number of them are. Of the 137 chemicals found: 

• 132 are linked with the onset of cancer 
• 133 are linked to reproduction and development problems 
• 110 are toxic to the brain and nervous system.

For the average person who uses commercial perfumes once or twice a week, this should cause no real problems but for those who regularly use it at least once a day it I worth remembering that around 60% of the perfume you wear will be absorbed into the bloodstream. As much of the perfume is made up from chemicals, and contains very little natural scent, this is a lot of unnatural products you are absorbing and carrying around in your body. 

While some pure essential oils are not completely risk free, those that do carry restrictions, such as those not suitable during pregnancy, are not hidden and the information can be freely found. This allows your perfumes to be tailored to suit the person who will be wearing it. There is such a wide range of essential oils that it is a simple matter of substituting unsuitable oil for a similar scent that is suitable and ensuring that any health risks are easily avoided.