How to Know Which Perfumes Are Natural

For the 40 million people in the United States diagnosed with multiple chemical sensitivity, being around someone wearing a perfume made with synthetics can trigger reactions from a scratchy throat and a mild headache to a full-blown asthma attack, nausea and worse. Many people are sensitive to the synthetics used in perfume and aren’t even aware of it. If you think you are one of them, or if you just want to avoid causing problems for other people, choose natural perfumes that won’t harm yourself or others with chemical gases. Here are some ways to identify natural perfumes.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Consider the name of the scent. Modern “fresh” scents with names such as “Fresh Linen” and most sea scents are synthetic, not natural.
2. Read the label, but don’t just rely on the word “natural” being on it. Cosmetics sold in the U.S. must be labeled with the ingredients. Check the ingredients for substances that are obviously synthetic.
3. Educate yourself about harmful chemicals in cosmetics and fragrances so you’ll recognize them in ingredient labels.
4. Count the ingredients. It’s not a definitive proof, but natural perfumes usually contain far fewer ingredients than ones based on synthetics.
5. Check the list of products at the Environmental Working Group Web site (see Resources below). It maintains a frequently updated “top brands of concern” list, identifying products containing suspected chemicals by name.

Tips & Warnings

• One of the best ways to be sure that your perfume is all natural is to make your own, or have your own fragrance made at a custom perfume house.