Toxic Perfumes uncovered and better alternatives

Sorry to scare you BUT...The Toxic Truth About Commercial Perfumes! 

When I got poorly I had no idea the products I was placing on my skin was absorbing into my system (call me an easy person to be marketed to!) When I got diagnosed with chronic Migraine with Aura and Richie skin Cancer. We set to work to try to eliminate a toxic way of living to remove some of our symptoms as well as learning and trying to understand what is better for our health. We needed to help ourselves! We started this journey of our diagnosis as "pill poppers" for pain rather than looking at the root cause or what was available naturally to us, we needed to change and quickly realised simple shifts and baby steps to toxic free living didn't cost the earth and just needed to be a new habit to incorporate. What could we do to remove and not evoke numerous health issues, including nervous system damage, kidney damage, respiratory failure, ataxia, intestinal inflammation, dizziness, fatigue and more from the below ingredients in commercial perfumes scary! How simple to stop using the below and find an alternative natural perfume which is less costly. Here's some information to hopefully help and get you started too.

Commercial Perfumes

Perhaps the reason fragrance companies got away with selling toxic products for so long is that they are not legally required to list their ingredients on the labels. Regulations have made it legal to keep their ingredients undisclosed by simply disgusting them under the term “fragrance”. In fact, a company can legally use over 400 ingredients under the single term to “protect” their trade formulas. Although there may be some credibility to protecting a company's formula, it should not be done at the expense of the end user's health.

Fortunately, the truth about commonly used ingredients in fragrance products is being exposed. Numerous studies have found that most of the most commonly used ingredients in commercial fragrance products can induce mild allergic reactions like headache, sinus inflammation, itchiness, runny nose and can contribute to worse issues such as hormonal imbalances, organ damage, and even cancer.

In 1986, the National Academy of Sciences tested commonly used fragrances for neurotoxicity; however, the results have still yet to be released. The good news is that many other tests have been done. In fact, in 1991 the EPA tested conventional, synthetic perfumes and found a long list of toxic chemical ingredients, including acetone, benzaldehyde (It causes nausea, abdominal pain, and kidney damage), benzyl acetate, benzyl alcohol (eye and lung irritation as well as coughing), camphor, ethanol, ethyl acetate, limonene, linalool (depression, and central nervous system disorders), methylene chloride as well as phthalates, stearates, and parabens.

Tips and Tricks to avoid commercial toxic perfumes:

• Avoid most commercial personal care products from big box stores - this is a general piece of advice, considering the fact that most of the very large manufacturers use low quality, toxic ingredients to increase profit margins. Unless you know your favourite product has switched to a more organic label deck, you’re better avoiding them.
• If you are unsure about your regular products quality/toxicity, then simply check the labels. Look for any of the chemicals we listed here today and also avoid any product with the ingredient “fragrance” or “perfume” on the label. These are usually chemical cocktails containing hundreds of ingredients.

Look for products that contain recognisable, natural ingredients and scent their products with organic essential oils. If you are unsure about an ingredient, look it up before buying. Our rollerball with organic pure essential oil is perfect to use derived all from steam distilled or cold pressed plants. ALL NATURAL INGREDIENTS NO LONG INGREDIENTS LIST YOU BLEND YOUR OWN! 

Why not use ingredients that will help support you not cause health issues. Taking care of your body, and your liver plays a crucial role in your health. I love we can give our girls Bella and Betsy this knowledge and they can use the roller ball with us knowing it is good for them and also they can smell delicious!

Lets start by swapping out our toxic perfume and replacing with natural plant power perfume alternative to boost our health too! Not only a delicious uplifting aroma but good for us!

We love that our roller ball can also be sustainably refilled whenever you run out depending on your health choice or mood! We recommend 15-30 drops of essential oils to carrier oil. Our roller ball comes with easy to follow directions to fill with your natural perfume.

Directions for rollerball using our Uplifting Day Oil Set:
🌹 Add 5ml carrier oil (sweet almond) into roller ball
🌹 10 drops Lavender - Calm with vitamin A
🌹 9 drops Frankincense - focus and gut support
🌹 6 drops Orange - uplift with Vitamin C

Dab on pressure points (wrist, neck, temples) when you need the health benefits as well as a delicious aroma.

We only believe in undiluted 100% organic vegan essential oils and carrier oils for not only a delicious aroma but added health benefits:

• Lavender essential oil has pain relief and calming properties that are safe and effective when dealing with a headache. It reduces irritation and relaxes breathing. Did you know Vitamin A is lavenders super power? Which helps boost collagen.
• Frankincense essential oil is helpful for focus and aiding in relaxation and calmness.
• Peppermint essential oil improves circulation, relax muscles, and soothe the gut. It also helps to cool the body.
• Orange essential oil’s best used for a vitamin c boost, to calm anxiety and help regulate emotions with its uplifting effects.
• Geranium essential oil helps our patience and serenity and brings balance with our hormones.
• Lemon essential oil’s earthy, citrus aroma has soothing, antibacterial and cleansing properties.
• Eucalyptus essential oil reduces inflammation and helps breathing.
• Tea Tree essential oil is a natural choice for anti-allergy and building immunity, keeping skin, hair and nails healthy.
• Sweet almond carrier oil is useful for dry, itchy skin and for cooling skin.

Enjoy the magic of making your own blend we have 8 oils to choose from depending on what aroma you would like to blend! Start with our oil sets for health support direction and more information on our blog on roller ball uses - even great for cuticles or lip balm! More ideas of roller ball natural perfume here

How can I use my Oils for non toxic living?

Tips & Tricks: 

• Diffuser: Add 5-8 drops to 100ml cool water in your diffuser. Or use with other BCALM organic pure essential oils, to blend some magic depending on your mood! Start with our signature day or night scent for inspiration. 
• Pillow talk: A few drops of oil on your pillow will help relax and help you drift off to sleep
• Quick fix: A few deep inhalations from the bottle can help when you are at work, in the car or anytime you need a quick break.
• Inhalation: Place 3-4 drops on a tissue and breathe deeply for maximum benefits or place in a bowl of hot water and inhale. Some oxide rich oils are irritants to asthmatics, the eucalyptus family, tea-tree and some of the tree oils. Please speak with a clinical aromatherapist if you have asthma or a respiratory condition. Asthmatics must not use the water inhalation method. Our diffuser keyring for inhalation.
• Shower: Add 2-3 drops to the corner of the shower and enjoy the benefits of steam inhalation.
• Bath: Add 2-3 drops (or more) diluted in a carrier oil or salts (like our bath brew). The BCALM bath brew is filled with rose buds, lavender, orange peel, epsom and pink himalayan salt. Stir the water to disperse the blend and relax in the bath for at least 10 minutes. For children under the age of 12, use 2-3 drops of essential oils. Do not drop neat essential oils neat into a bath of water.

• Natural Perfume: Mix 15-30 drops (5-10%) with 5ml carrier oil (sweet almond recommended) in our Roller ball and apply to wrists, chest or back of the neck.  

• Hand or foot bath: Add 2 drops to a bowl of water.
• Compress: Add 2 drops to a bowl of water. For treating inflammation or to cool down use cold to room temperature water. For aching tight muscles use warm to hot water. Agitate a face cloth in the water, wring out excess moisture and apply cloth to the affected area. Repeat two or three times as the compress cools down or warms up.
• Steam Treatment: Add 2 drops of essential oil to a bowl of steaming hot water. Place your face close to the bowl and cover the back of your head and bowl with a towel to trap the aromatic vapours. Caution due to risk of burns or scalding and keep eyes covered during treatment.
• Vacuum Cleaners –  4-6 drops on a cotton wool ball/pad in the vacuum bag
• Steam irons – 1-2 drops in the water inlet
• Room Spray – 20 drops in 500ml spray bottle, shake and spray towards the ceiling
• Disinfectant – 200ml water into a spray bottle, 10 drops of tea-tree and 5 drops of lemon oil, shake to blend

There are some family members and our pets that may need oils to be more diluted. 

Babies and young children, pregnant and breast-feeding mothers, the frail and the elderly. Topical applications need to be at much lower dilutions, as low a 1% (1 drop in 10ml of carrier oil) and not all essential oils are recommended.

Please see our faq here and if you unsure always take advise from a clinical aromatherapist for best practise. 

Sending Healthy Wishes and lets smell naturally delicious!

Richie, Becky, Bella and Betsy x

Reference details: Health Line

Read more of the toxic commercial perfumes article here