Your Perfume Is Making You Sick
Your perfume is killing you…and me.
As I take a walk around my neighborhood on a crisp, clear fall evening, one thing is abundantly clear- the makers of laundry dryer sheets have done a fantastic job of convincing everyone that laundry should smell like a bouquet of fake flowers.
Unfortunately for me that means my leisurely walk around the neighborhood turns into a panicked exit back to my safe fragrance-free zone.
But this isn’t where it ends.
I no longer enjoy shopping in department stores or beauty stores because the fragrance isle penetrates the entire store.
These places can easily be avoided, but what happens when you get a seat next to a perfume user on an airplane for 5 hours? Ive been there, head pounding, nose in my sweater, taking very shallow breaths.
What's funny to me is that we’ve suppressed our biological instincts so far that we actually seek out these toxins.
I used to be the same. I used Bath and Body Works heavily fragranced soaps and lotions and burned their candles endlessly.
I used scented laundry detergent and dryer sheets, sniffing my "fresh” laundry after I pulled it out of the dryer. (Now I triple wash everything I buy used just to get rid of that smell!!)
In naturopathic school I was taught about environmental toxicity and how synthetic fragrances disrupt our hormone pathways and create a toxic burden on our bodies that can leading to period problems, low T, acne, headaches, energy dips, brain fog and more.
Along with most of my colleagues who still used fragrances at the time, I swapped out my fake fragrances for essential oils, fearing the horror of having a scentless home + body and what that might mean for my social life. (Fun Fact: turns out no one actually cared that I no longer smelled like cucumber-melon)
What I didn’t expect to happen was the re-sensitization of my body to these toxic substances.
It turns out my body did recognize these things as toxins and had tried to warn me..but gave up after years of being ignored. Hmm similar to food intolerances...but I digress.
Now I get the warning loud and clear in the form of a pounding headache at first sniff of one of these toxic intruders.
I truly appreciate this warning, most of the time, except when Im in an airplane with the seatbelt sign on next to the guy so sampled every fragrance in the duty-free store just prior to take-off.
Now when I am stuck sitting next to a scent-bather, or in an Uber with little trees hanging from the mirror, I reflect on how privileged I am to live in a world of health and awareness that allows me to even know that theses things are slowly killing all of us.
Which is what brought me to write this message- please, if not for yourself, then for your fellow neighbor- please stop using toxic synthetic fragrances, at least when spending time in close quarters with strangers!
The benefits to your health just might amaze you (and your chemically sensitive neighbor will thank you)
If you're looking for some natural, amazing smelling laundry wash and dryer fragrance, I suggest Truly Free, I personally love them and use them both in the clinic and at home.
If you're a perfume or cologne wearer, check out all the new natural fragrances that are coming to market. One of my favorite companies is Providence Perfume.
Personally, I just dab a bit of Lotus Wei anointing oil on when Im in the mood for something delicious!
If you would like to learn more about what other toxins are lurking in your home and workplace (and how to get rid of them), check out the Detox Masterclass inside of Flourish.
