How To Smell Good Naturally

I remember as a teenager, while studying in the US, it was a very common thing to use perfume.  I remember the first time I sprayed a couple spritzes from those bottles on my skin…. and somehow my headache would strike. Back then, I had no idea there was a linkage; but now, I know better.

About a decade ago, I began adopting a lifestyle of using less and less synthetics and chemicals.  I wasn’t aware that my natural olfaction had been affected but I started smelling things again! Now I can easily tell apart what’s good and bad.  When I smell something chemical, I might even sneeze!   We all have a natural olfaction that helps us detect hazards, pheromones, and food.  But a lot of times we are not mindful enough about it, and sometimes we are simply too used to the artificial smells from different products that we can no longer tell them apart.  Now that I am more accustomed to smelling natural and hazard free household products, skincare, shampoo etc; I began to notice there’s an awkward smell from most perfume!  Which is what used to give me headaches!  

You might be wondering what these popular perfumes consist of.  Well, yes there is a trace amount of natural essence to it, but they also most certainly contain a dozen or more synthetic chemicals as well, some even derived from petroleum.  And since the blend for each perfume isn’t required to be transparent for consumers, the secret chemicals just need not be listed on the labels.  The fact is, a lot of these fragranced products are concocted from the fragrance industry’s stock chemical ingredients!  Among them are chemicals associated with hormone disruptors, allergic reactors and so on. 

If you have compared the lasting effect of perfume compared to natural fragrances before, you might have noticed that the chemically laden ones last much longer.  This is because many synthetic perfumes have added fixatives, which stabilize a scent’s vitality with a slow release effect; resulting in a much denser aroma when compared to a natural fragrance.

But who doesn’t want to smell nice, right?  Essential oils have become a part of my life since my lifestyle change.  I diffuse it at home instead of using regular room sprays, I add it to my organic shampoo and bath gels…  and I create my own personal perfume too.

Some of my favorite oils are jasmine, neroli, rose and sandalwood.  These oils smell feminine and totally connect me to nature.  I hand blend them with other base oils such as cedarwood, vetiver or ylang ylang.  I have a small roller bottle which I carry in my purse and it became my go-to whenever I feel a boost of natural synergy.  When we blend our own perfume, we know for certain that it is paraben free, synthetic free and phthalate free.  Essential oils are a gift from nature.  Not only do they smell great but there are higher grade essential oils that have therapeutic healing effects.  

Here is one of my favorite recipes to share: 

Base oil: 12 drops of ylang ylang, 12 drops of sandalwood

Middle tone oil: 10 drops of geranium, 10 drops of rose

Top note oil: 12 drops of bergamot or neroli