Like so many products we consume, use or put on our skin, trying to find an option that is better for us and the planet can be quite an adventure. And this is where natural perfumes come into play.
To give you some context, most perfumes are chemical or synthetic, meaning they contain petroleum-derived ingredients and dozens of potentially dangerous products like phthalates, which are used to make plastics more flexible and are known hormone disruptors. For this reason, at SFDcosmetic we sell natural products, which are toxin-free and do not harm our body.
Although, as we mentioned before, many of the perfumes on the market contain chemicals, the good news is that there is a noticeable shift towards natural perfumes and in the following lines we will tell you what they are, how they are made and what their main ingredients are. We will also answer some common questions about this type of fragrance.
What are natural perfumes?
While synthetic fragrances are derived from laboratory chemicals, natural perfumes are made from raw plant materials. Synthetic fragrances often have hundreds of ingredients that they keep secret, such as petrochemicals, mysterious allergens, and phthalates. With natural perfumes, what you see is what you get—i.e., if the bottle says “jasmine essential oil,” that’s what it has.
Something that very few people know is that synthetic perfumes tend to smell the same on everyone, for hours on end, although there are always certain nuances depending on the body odor that each person gives off. In the case of natural fragrances, the smell is different for each person, and changes and fades over time, just like the plants themselves.
Going into more detail, and to make the concept clear, natural perfumes are simply fragrances made only with natural ingredients. They are extracted directly from flora and fauna.
The main components of natural perfumes include natural essential oils, tinctures and resinous substances. In addition, some animal pheromones are also often used.
One great thing about natural perfumes is that they are usually hypoallergenic, so they are gentle on your skin. You also don't have to worry about allergic reactions like skin rashes, unless you are allergic to a particular ingredient.
How to make natural perfume?
Although the production techniques are almost the same for both natural and synthetic perfumes, the most common steps are extraction, blending and aging. The biggest difference between them is their components.
What ingredients does a natural perfume have?
Natural perfumers do not use synthetic aromatic chemicals such as parabens and phthalates that can harm people. Instead, they use plant materials such as roots, stems, leaves, seeds, flowers, resins, wood and bark. They also use ingredients from the animal world, such as musk, ambergris and civet.
Are dyes used in natural perfumes?
No, the color is given to us by Mother Nature. Many natural essences have bright colors, as do many flowers. By working with these ingredients, the perfume acquires its hue. However, it is worth noting that if you use a fragrance with a dark color, it is always better to apply it before getting dressed, so as not to stain the garment.
What are organic perfumes?
Is a natural perfume the same as an organic perfume? The answer is no, but there can be natural and organic fragrances, since they are not incompatible.
As we said before, natural essences come from plant or fungal origin, like some oils, while bio-essences come from organic farming, which have not been treated with chemicals or synthetic pesticides. Therefore, a natural perfume can be organic or not, depending on how its growth process is.
It is usually defined 4 categories of organic products:
- 100% organic: if the product only contains organic ingredients
- Organic: if more than 95% of the ingredients are organic
- Made with organic products: if more than 70% of the ingredients are organic
- The fourth category indicates when an ingredient comes from organic crops.
It is important to pay special attention to labels that certify ingredients and production processes. There are many certificates that can assure us that we are buying sustainable products. They examine the life cycle of the product, from its ingredients to its final use.
Eco-friendly fragrance certifications can be official (regulated by official bodies), private and self-declared, which are not official, but rather the company claims to follow sustainable processes. There are also certifications related to the nature of the product and its impact on the environment.
Are natural perfumes more expensive?
The process of extracting natural ingredients strong enough to stay in your body is often time-consuming and expensive. Therefore, you'll probably notice a higher price tag on natural perfumes than on a traditional fragrance. But there are so many variations in the world of natural perfumes, that you'll most likely be able to find one that you like and is within your budget.
In addition, it should be noted that synthetic perfumes are usually mass-produced, which helps reduce costs, while natural fragrances require a more manual process.
Is the scent of natural perfumes boring?
Many people are reluctant to try a natural perfume because they think the fragrance will be boring and they won't find any that doesn't have patchouli, lance or mint. The good thing about the natural world is that you can make hundreds of combinations, so the result is not boring at all. A clear example are all the natural and organic perfumes you will find at SFDcosmetic such as Oui by Saphir with notes of cassis, freesia and a hint of vanilla, giving the fragrance sweetness.