Perfume, an Intimate Experience
It has taken years for Aromatherapists and alchemists to create the best methods of extracting scent from flowers and herbs. When we connect with an essential oil blend and then spray it on our body, we claim it as our personal statement.
Aromatherapists argue that synthetic fragrances don’t integrate the same way into our bodies as essential oils. How could they! After all, synthetic fragrances have been designed for strength and consistency.
Even though synthetic fragrances cannot capture the same subtlety or softness, nor can they mimic the way natural perfumes evolve on the skin, uniquely in response to body chemistry we continue to see the rise of synthetic fragrances; some that can even approximate the dominant qualities of the natural essences.
And, the reason for this is because Mother Nature has never promised us that we’ll get the same quality crop year after year in lavender, roses, basil, vanilla, lemon and so on. Keeping up with Mother Nature is also expensive.
What goes on the Body also goes in the Body
Perfumes and body spray made with essential oils; it is these same oils that we use for their healing powers, aromatherapy practices, and personal wellness programs. That’s an important note to remember because whatever goes ON your skin also goes IN your body. Your skin will absorb the essential oil blend, and you also breathe in the aroma of the blend. Plus, you experience the positive physical effect of the blend at the same time.
The same holds true for fragrance chemicals. Anyone that has experienced skin irritation or runny eyes and nose could be because of perfumes made with fragrance chemicals. U.K. researchers have reported that “Perfume” is the second most common cause of allergy in patients at dermatology clinics!
Top-selling colognes and perfumes average 14 chemicals per product not listed on the label, including multiple chemicals that can trigger allergic reactions or interfere with hormone function.
Environment and Fragrance Chemicals
There is also the issue of the environment. I’m sure we’ve all worked in an environment where windows would not open. Fragrance chemicals are a serious environmental problem.
A single product can include a mixture of dozens or even hundreds of fragrance chemicals. As mentioned above, many of these unlisted ingredients are irritants and can trigger allergies, migraines, and asthma symptoms. Plus, we need to consider the increase in pollution from making, using and disposing of these chemicals hurts us all, especially our children.
Things to Remember When Going Natural
The only thing you need to know about natural blends is that scent will not have lasting strength as fragrance chemicals. But that’s certainly not a good reason to not try a natural perfume blend! You’ll be pleasantly surprised by how beautiful the scent is in the bottle and on your body.
Application Use:
Do a patch test first! Create natural perfume is a wonderful experience, but some essential oils may cause skin irritation or allergic reactions. Also, remember that some citrus oils, when applied to the skin, can increase sun sensitivity and that some substances in essential oils may be risky for pregnant women.
Resources:
http://davidsuzuki.org/issues/health/science/toxics/fragrance-and-parfum/
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