Perfect Perfuming

Good evening readers! Today I want to talk to you all about one of my VERY favorite things in this world--perfumes. Ahhhhhh. I am a self-proclaimed "perfume snob." I love true "single floral" and "floral bouquet" scents in particular. I tend to layer on flower waters, lotions, oils, and perfume. I rarely wear just one scent, I love making them my own by combining. I have quite a collection of mostly french perfumes and oils, and I pride myself on smelling scrumptious :) Perfumes are some of my best and oldest friends. BUT there is a dark side to them as well. Have you ever wondered what's in your favorite perfume? Not only does the quality of the perfume impact the smell (I have always had a nose for the good stuff), but it has implications for our health as well, and the health of those around us--spouses snuggling up to us, kids in the bathroom while we spray, babies nursing and nuzzling, and the lady next to you in yoga or spinning. Are you content to spritz absentmindedly, or do you dare to delve deeper? I am here to uncap the secrets if you care to take a whiff. Okay, I'm done with the perfume puns. Now on to the perfume facts. You might be surprised by what you learn...

The big picture: First of all, almost all spray "perfumes," as you know them, contain synthetic ingredients, and the actual oils themselves (whether natural or synthetic) have been diluted with alcohol or a combination of alcohol and water; the extent of which is indicated by whether it's straight perfume extract/perfume, eau de perfume, eau de toilette, or eau de cologne (the concentration of oil to solvent is descending in this list.) Even the old design houses like Guerlain and CREED use some synthetic ingredients in addition to their natural ingredients. The key is to find perfumes with many more natural ingredients then synthetic (you can often tell by the smell), and there are specific ingredients you will definitely want to avoid altogether. I am certainly no perfume chemist or formula expert, but I know a little. And I am learning. I think you may want to know at least a little too so you can start to pick your perfumes with more care and caution. Let's take a closer look:

A baby civet cat

Ever wonder what exactly produces a "musk" aroma in certain perfumes? Or why perfumes are said to physically attract people? For hundreds of years perfumes have contained feces or "musk" scrapings (civet or civetone) from civet cats kept in captivity as well as from the genital scent gland of beavers (castoreum). Not only is is distasteful to me to wear animal feces and genital excretions, but I find animal cruelty like this to be intolerable. The World Society for the Protection of Animals is working hard to bring awareness to and decrease the practice of using these ingredients in perfume because they require the captivity and inhumane and cruel treatment of animals. PETA has recently added Puig, the international fragrance, cosmetics and fashion company to its list of cruelty-free companies! Puig is the company behind Prada, Nina Ricci, Carolina Herrera, and others. Read more on this from the PETA website.

What about synthetic ingredients and preservatives? Ever wonder why perfume gives many people headaches and other allergic reactions? Many perfumes are filled, I mean to the brim, with harsh chemical ingredients, some of which they don't even put on the label. And several of these are considered "toxic" by the EPA. You want to avoid (in all personal care products) parabens (carcinogenic preservatives), pthalates (endocrine/hormone distruptors; BPA is one of them), and petroleum products like mineral oil. Also, avoid any products that contain the cryptic "fragrance." There is a reason they won't tell you what's IN that "fragrance." Flat out, many perfumes sold today are horrible for your health and can cause severe problems such as sperm and thyroid damage and even cancer. Read more here and see if your perfume or cologne is on the list of those tested in these major studies. But beware, this article warns, that "just because your favorite fragrance [isn't] on the list doesn't mean it's safe. In fact harmful perfume ingredients are used in thousands of products and are not listed on the label." And it doesn't stop with perfumes: the article goes on to warn people about the candles they use (some of which contain chemicals found in car exhaust), body sprays, room sprays (major offenders!), and hairsprays. Freaking out? Please don't fear, it really isn't that hard to live your life without toxic perfumes--or candles. With a little research, you can figure out how. Trust me.

So what to do? First, figure out what's in your perfume. Start researching it. Look at the ingredients and look them up! Although it doesn't have all companies (including several perfumes I use) go to the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Website and see if you can find the toxicity rating of your favorite perfume (Britney Spears, you are a 10 on the toxicity scale.) Then get rid of the crap you have been using. Just get rid of it. I have done it before with many products, and I know you won't miss 'em. Next, start researching vegan (cruelty-free) scents and those with more natural ingredients that don't contain the no-nos (parabens, pthalates, fragrance, parfum, and civetone or castoreum). I won't send you out there alone.

the heaven-"scent" jasmine flower

To give you a head start, I will share with you what I use and love. That helps, right? When in doubt, go for straight perfume oil. But learn to spot the real thing, not a synthetic "fragrance." Chances are, if you get the good stuff, it is comprised of natural essential oils, which it will indicate in plain English. And it smells natural. If it contains a carrier oil be sure it is also natural, like jojoba (no mineral oil please!) Generally speaking, the more expensive an oil, the better quality. I repeat, generally speaking. But do your homework too. Look at the label. When I want to go straight essential perfume oils, I splurge on a small bottle of Young Living Jasmine Essential Oil and Rose Essential Oil (at $244 for a 5 ml bottle, Rose is a mega splurge, but a little goes a looong way! I have had mine for 2 years.) And let me clarify, they aren't really "essential oils," they are "essences." ;) What I love about these oils is that they are actually good for the body! They have therapeutic benefits, particularly on the emotions, as flower essences tend to have. And that makes me feel really good when Noëlle sleeps with her head tucked into my neck. Eh tu, mamas? For something a little less pricey but equally dreamy, I wear Kai perfume oil, which I buy at a boutique in Olympia. For years, while in college at UT-Austin, I bought it at By George on Guadalupe. Thanks for my first bottle back in 2001, Jenna and Wesley :) I also love their body glow oil spray and body butter. My mom loves the deodorant! And I really want to try the new shampoo and conditioner at some point soon. For you candle-loving folks out there, they have candles too.

Rose is a favorite flower and scent

And last but not least, I absolutely love and have used for years, Heritage Rose Petals Rosewater. I empty the contents into an atomizer and spritz all over my body and face after a bath and before moisturizer. You can't overdo it. It has such a lovely, light and completely natural rose scent. And it's another product that is beneficial for the skin and for balancing the emotions.

What about spray perfumes? Trust me, there are options, and I have a wonderful collection of these too. For their fantastic scents, lower synthetic content and commitment to not testing on animals or using animal by-products, my favorites are Annick Goutal, CREED, Jo Malone, and Quelques Fleurs. I will keep my signature scents a secret so they remain signature, BUT more importantly because it's all a matter of taste. Everyone's taste is different and smells react differently on everyone, depending on body chemistry. In college my friend Alyssa bought a bottle of my favorite Annick Goutal lotion after she smelled it on me. Days later she handed over my favorite $70 bottle of lotion because she "didn't like how it smelled" on her.  So what I love, you may not. All of the perfumes I listed above are found at Neiman Marcus. I recommend you go and find your signature! You can also order most of the scents online at Neimans.

My canary, aka mom

Another helpful tip when picking out a perfume: ask someone who "nose." My mom is my go-to tester. She calls herself "the canary in the mine." She is extremely sensitive to fragrances and can develop instant headaches from those that are chemical-filled. When I want to know I ask her to give it a whiff. She knows instantly the quality by how she "feels." And all of the scents I mentioned here are mom-approved. In fact, she is the one who introduced me and my siblings to Annick Goutal. Mom, I am forever grateful.

What lies ahead for me in perfumery? I found this article from The Perfume Magazine intriguing, and I definitely want to check out Velvet and Sweet Peas Perfumery, which in 2012 won the Artisan Fragrance Salon Award among several others. Laurie is a natural perfumer committed to using natural ingredients. AND she is an animal rescuer, so that puts her right up my alley. Her perfumes sound simply divine. Please share if you have tried some. I can't wait, as the review in the magazine is fabulous.

I am also intrigued by Heaven's Alchemy, which is another award-winning natural perfumery! Give me some time, and I just might have some more to share. It's not a bad job testing out fabulous perfumes. I always have room in my collection for more.

As always, please feel free to share your favorite perfumes and products and ask me any questions you may have in the comments section!

In health and happiness--and good scents--always,

Lauren, a.k.a. Ms. Crunchy Chic