Clean perfumes are fragrances that are created without harmful ingredients. They are made without certain potentially harmful ingredients, like parabens, formaldehyde, talc, and synthetic fragrance. Clean fragrances are not the opposite of dirty fragrances, which refers to notes that are dark musky, fecal and earthy. The term "clean" is loosely defined as scents that are free of parabens, phthalates, silicon, PEG, artificial dyes, BHT, BHA, and sulfates. Clean fragrances are made with pure and natural essential oils for their formulations, which are botanical in nature.
The rise of clean fragrances is due to consumers concerns about the health impacts of chemicals in their products. Consumers expect transparency now, and many perfume formulators guarantee transparency by disclosing entire ingredient lists as well as the reason why a particular item is being used for every product. Clean fragrances are transparent about their ingredients.
Negative ingredients that are often found in conventional perfumes include synthetic fragrance, which can carry potentially serious negative long-term health effects. Synthetic materials are ubiquitous today in the realm of perfumery and scented products. Some of them are just as toxic to humans as the second-hand smoke of decades past.
To find clean perfumes, consumers should look for sulfate-free, phthalate-free, paraben-free, and organic ingredients that are typically kinder to the skin. Consumers can also check for certifications from trusted organizations that verify the fragrance is free from harmful chemicals.
Here are some positive and negative aspects of clean perfumes:
Positive:
- Made without harmful ingredients
- Transparent about ingredients
- Made with pure and natural essential oils
- Botanical in nature
Negative:
- Synthetic materials in conventional perfumes can be toxic to humans
- Companies are not required to disclose the individual fragrance elements as the fragrance “blend” is considered proprietary information
