15 Clean, Natural, & Non-

Toxic Perfume & Fragrance

Brands
Last Updated on January 3, 2022 by The Filtery Staff
If you’ve done even a little bit of research on non-toxic products (whether it’s
personal care, cleaning products, or something else), you’ve likely come
across the problem with “fragrance” (how companies can legally hide toxic
ingredients under the ingredient label of “fragrance” or “parfum”).
Because of this law, conventional perfume, cologne, and other fragrance
products are filled with things like phthalates, carcinogens, and other toxins
which consumers have essentially no way of knowing about.
But don’t worry: there are plenty of transparent and non-toxic perfume brands,
too! And that’s exactly what we’re going to talk about in this article.
What Is Perfume Made Of?
That’s the million-dollar question! As we’ll see in a minute, laws surrounding
“fragrance” transparency are incredibly lax, especially in the United States.
Companies are actually not required to tell you what’s in their “fragrance”
(also listed on ingredient labels as “parfum”) because it’s considered a “trade
secret.”
As for the other ingredients in perfume (outside of the “fragrance”), the list can
vary widely. In general, most perfumes contain some sort of extracted plant or
animal material, water, alcohol and/or a carrier oil, and dye for color, along
with a bunch of other chemicals that are used for things like making sure the
scent sticks to your skin for a longer period of time.
Is Wearing Perfume Bad For You?
Do perfumes contain toxic chemicals? The short answer is: yes, most of them
do. One 2016 study shows that 35% of those studied suffered some sort of
negative consequence—from migraines to respiratory issues—when exposed
to fragrance.
Many people, however, won’t notice any immediate effects of spraying or
dabbing themself with perfume each day. But the hidden chemicals that exist
in almost all conventional perfumes add to one’s overall toxic burden (the total
amount of environmental toxins you’re exposed to and absorbing on a day-to-
day, year-to-year basis). This toxic burden can cause problems over a long
period of time, even in an otherwise healthy person.
A few potential health risks common perfume chemicals can cause are:
 neurotoxicity
 nervous system damage
 kidney damage
 respiratory issues
 ataxia
 inflammation, especially in the intestines
 dizziness
 fatigue
 decreased fertility and reproductive problems
Then consider the rising number of people who struggle with allergies, chronic
illness, auto-immune disease, multiple chemical sensitivity, autism, and other
conditions which may make them even more sensitive to certain ingredients.
Pregnant women and infants may also be more susceptible to the negative
effects of these chemicals. If you or a loved one fits into one of these
categories, it’s all the more important to use non-toxic perfume.
What Ingredients Should You Watch Out For In Perfume?
The top toxic ingredients include, but are not limited to:
 acetaldehyde
 acetone
 benzaldehyde
 benzophenone
 benzyl alcohol
  camphor
 ethanol
 ethyl acetate
 “fragrance”
 methylene chloride
 and many phthalates (like diethyl phthalate – see below), stearates, and
parabens
Many of these ingredients will not be listed on the label because they’re a part
of the “fragrance” loophole that doesn’t require brands to disclose them. This
can make perfume shopping confusing and frustrating if you’re an ingredient-
conscious consumer.
Why is Non-Toxic Perfume Important?
If you or a loved one has suffered from chronic health issues, then the
importance of switching from conventional to non-toxic perfume may seem
obvious to you.
As noted above, though, even those who are healthy would do well to
consider using non-toxic perfume instead of the conventional stuff in order to
reduce your environmental toxin burden over a long period of time. Doing so
is not only beneficial for your long-term health, but also that of our home
planet.
Not to mention, buying from the brands below is a great opportunity to support
small, eco-conscious businesses and artisans!
A key nuance in shopping for non-toxic perfumes is to gauge transparency
from the brand about their ingredients. Simply having nothing to hide usually
indicates a degree of safety at the very least.
Also, pay attention to the brand’s mission, product ethos, purpose, and
environmental impact. This will show you a more robust scope of the brand
rather than just checking the product label for non-toxic perfume ingredients.
What Does “Fragrance” Mean?
As mentioned above, it’s not uncommon to see the term “fragrance” on the
ingredient lists for both conventional and natural perfumes. The laws in the
United States governing cosmetics ingredients allow for a huge, vague range
of toxicity through using the term “fragrance.” The word can include anything
from a list of nearly 4,000 stock chemicals, which include known hormone
disruptors and allergens.
When brands use the term “fragrance,” they are not legally required to list
the ingredients on the labels; “fragrance” could mean toxic chemicals and/or it
could mean safe essential oils or other natural ingredients. The problem is
that there’s almost no way of knowing what the “fragrance” actually entails.
The regulations in the European Union (E.U.) are different. The E.U. requires
more label transparency and has a list of thousands of banned ingredients
that brands are not allowed to include in their perfumes (including some
natural ingredients).
What Is Diethyl Phthalate?
Diethyl phthalate (DEP) is a type of phthalate that’s commonly used in
fragrances and perfumes. (But again, you won’t see this listed on a perfume
package because it will be hidden under the “fragrance” label.) Phthalates are
endocrine disruptors.
What Do Endocrine Disruptors Do?
In short, endocrine disruptors can disrupt your natural hormone function.
Although we typically think of the reproductive system when we think of
hormones (and that is a big part of it), our hormones affect a lot more than
that, from wake and sleep patterns to hunger and metabolic systems, and
more. Endocrine disruptors have been linked to things like decreased sperm
motility and fertility, genital abnormalities in baby boys, asthma, allergies, and
more.
What Is The Best Natural Perfume?
Perhaps even more than other products, non-toxic perfume preferences vary
widely from person to person. We each have our our preferences, emotions,
and memories associated with different types of scents.
So while there is no one “best” natural perfume, we’ve identified fifteen
amazing (and safe!) brands for you to experiment with so that you can find
what’s best for you.
The Best Natural & Non-Toxic Perfume Brands (With Feminine,
Masculine, & Gender-Neutral Scents)
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Annmarie
For some unconventional luxury scent options, Annmarie carries a Palo Santo
Hair & Body Mist (infused with crystals!) along with a Luxury Essential Oil
Blend Roll-On. Made using sustainably sourced essential oils and other plant-
based ingredients, these formulations really are luscious.
Annmarie is one of our favorite brands for non-toxic and mindfully made
skincare products. They’re MADE SAFE certified, which is one of the strictest
third-party certifications when it comes to ingredient safety.
Not only that, but everything is vegan and cruelty-free, made in the USA, and
non-GMO.
Shop Annmarie
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Henry Rose
Henry Rose is no tolerance for the “fragrance” loopholes in the industry and is
committed to telling consumers everything. They are “removing the last black
box in the beauty industry, and revealing our mystery.”
Their standards are super strict. Free from a list of thousands of potentially
problematic ingredients, Henry Rose was the first fine fragrance to be
both EWG Verified™ and Cradle to Cradle Certified™. Plus, their bottles are
made from 90% recycled glass and their caps are made from sustainably-
sourced and compostable soy. They give back a portion of profits to Breast
Cancer Prevention Partners, too.
Shop Henry Rose
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Cultus Artem
Cultus: [Latin] the root word for culture or cultivation / Artem: [Latin] the root
word for making art
Cultus Artem is unhurried; they produce their fragrances in-house to eschew
the mass production and disposable possessions that proliferate our culture
today. In addition to taking steps to decrease waste throughout the entire
production process, the team at Cultus Artem adheres to the European Union
standards for ingredient regulations (which are much more strict than they are
here in the U.S.) and works with a toxicologist to make sure that nothing
potentially harmful makes its way into their bottles. (They’re completely free of
parabens, organosulfates, phthalates, color additives, synthetic dyes,
ETA/MEA, DEA, TEA, and toluene.)
Shop Cultus Artem
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Summer Solace
This simple, handmade, water-based perfume spray is made with just a few
ingredients: pH balanced purified water and organic plant oils.
Established by an organic chef and gardener, Summer Solace Tallow is a
small, family-owned business dedicated to the production of slow-made,
deeply nourishing, organic tallow-based skincare and home goods. They’re
also one of our favorite brands for tallow candles!
Shop Summer Solace
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by Rosie Jane
Hand mixed in Los Angeles, California, by Rosie Jane’s vegan and cruelty-
free eau de parfum sprays and perfume oils are free from phlatates,
parabens, and other endocrine disruptors. Committed to transparency, all
ingredients are easily found on each product page. Any allergens (including
natural ones linalool) are clearly listed on the product page as well.
By Rosie Jane also uses organic ingredients whenever possible, along with
100% recyclable packaging, vegetable based inks, and sustainable paper.
They also have a take back program, so you can send them your empties for
them to recycle and get credit toward new fragrances.
Shop by Rosie Jane
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Heretic
These fragrances are for your more “provocative” side. Although they offer fun
and sensual scents like “Dirty Lavender,” “Florgasm,” and “Flower Porn,” their
ingredients are far from dirty… These vegan and cruelty-free fragrances are
free from phthalates, parabens, synthetic dyes, formaldehyde, and other
toxins—all blended together with organic, non-GMO sugarcane alcohol. You
can find the full fragrance ingredient list on each product page.
Shop Heretic
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Los Feliz Botanicals

Inspired by the scenes of California, this perfume brand is made with 100%
natural ingredients, which means zero synthetics, preservatives, or fillers.
ShopLos Feliz Botanicals
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LOTUSWEI
As a non-conventional alternative to typical perfumes and colognes,
LOTUSWEI’s Anointing Oils and Aura Mists are made out of all natural, plant-
based oils. They’re completely free of artificial fragrances, phthalates,
synthetics and harmful chemicals.
Shop LOTUSWEI
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PHLUR
Committed to high-quality and safe formulations, PHLUR uses both natural
and synthetic ingredients, all of which are easily accessible online. They’re
also vegan, Leaping Bunny certified cruelty-free, gluten-free, and
hypoallergenic.
These perfumes are completely free of BHT, phenoxyethanol, parabens,
phthalates, and polycylic and alicyclic musks. Not only that, but the PHLUR
team sources their ingredients as responsibly as possible and uses as many
recyclable, reusable, renewable, and low-impact materials as they can
throughout the entire production process.
Shop PHLUR
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{blade + bloom} Apothecary

{blade + bloom} is a small batch apothecary that creates 100% natural, plant-
based products. Their blends are inspired by familiar scent memories (since
scent is the strongest memory trigger). Each story is told on the product labels
“to read and share.”
{blade + bloom} products range from body scrubs, serums, lotions, to candles,
and more. The product that would most serve a “perfume” purpose is their
rich fragrance oil, which is made of fractionated coconut oil and essential oils.
This product uses body heat to activate the fragrance and its benefits!
All products are handmade in Chicago using high-quality ingredients,
packaged in recyclable/reusable containers, and feature a minimal design.
Shopblade + bloom}
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LVNEA
pronounced: [lou – nay – uh] – {Romanian – Lunea : Monday} (n) the moon’s
day; day of the moon. 
LVNEA employs an experience-based, nature-focused, and art-forward ethos
to create their hand-crafted, natural, botanical, unisex products. Their 100%
natural perfumes come in multiple formats: oil, eau de parfum, eau de
cologne, perfume creme, and perfume sets, amongst other apothecary
products. Each scent tells a story and lists the ingredients made from
authentic, raw botanical essences. Check out LVNEA‘s website to read more
about their beautifully inspirational explorations.
Each scent begins as a distinct story, transforming the conceptual into high
olfactory art. Traditional French parfumerie techniques are juxtaposed with
luxuriantly minimal design, creating scents that are at once reminiscent of
another world, yet deeply familiar.
Shop LVNEA
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Gather
Gather emphasizes the enhanced experience of perfumes vs. body oils with
historical and all-hand-made notions that honor sensuality, ritual, botanicals,
healing, imagination, art, and harmony. Their perfume ingredients, processes,
and philosophical identity all are synergistic. Gather sets itself apart with its
interesting time-based scent blends and each formula tells a story.
Ingredients are hand-gathered (hence the name), entirely hand-made in small
batches of 100% natural botanical aromatics in a stable base of artisanal
spirits and/or coconut oil, includes NO synthetics, phthalates, petrochemicals,
or synthetic preservatives. Animal products are used in some products by way
of beeswax, honey, and lanolin.
Shop Gather
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Empress Rose by Sacred Botanica NYC
Sacred Botanica is a retail and education space dedicated to Empress Karen
Rose’s work as a Plant Teacher, Astrologer, and Medicine Woman. From her
native home in Guyana, Karen Rose brings generations of African,
Caribbean, and Latin American traditions and legacies in plant medicine and
community healing to Brooklyn, NY.
Her apothecary, Made By Empress Rose, is just one part of the whole of her
work. Magic, autonomy, empowerment, wisdom, knowledge, power,
connection, and ancestry are woven into her products. Aura Sprays and
Magical Oils are the wearable fragrances most relevant to this article. But,
these aren’t limited to just wearing on the body and hair – these are used also
on objects, furniture, and spaces. Ingredients are magical and simple: herbs
in sunflower oil or floral waters. 
Find Empress Rose oils and sprays amongst candles, burners, incense and
resin, floor wash, bath products, etc. The power of ancestry, culture, and
magic provide each product with a healing purpose.
Shop Empress Rose

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Smoke
Smoke offers signature sacred scents of nature into non-toxic botanical
perfumes for ceremonial moments. These gender-neutral perfumes are made
out of high-quality, ethically sourced, all-natural ingredients that are distilled
straight from their natural source. Smoke uses organic oils or 100% organic
perfumers alcohol as carriers and identifies each collection with a color and a
feeling personal to founder and owner, Kathleen Currie. The products’
thorough profiles make online fragrance shopping a well-rounded and
informed experience.
Shop Smoke
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Alchemy Slow Living
For the bright-minded busy spirits, Alchemy is built with a Leisure Arts
foundation to create products that support a slow-living lifestyle and self-care
practices. Hand-poured and packaged in Ferndale, Michigan, these
fragrances are made with plant-based and 100% synthetic-free ingredients,
harvested from all parts of a plant, and created using traditional techniques.
With artist letter-pressed packaging and glowing reviews, Alchemy sets itself
apart as quintessential.
Shop Alchemy Slow Living
The “PRETTY GOOD” Perfume Brands
These brands are definitely better than your conventional perfume brands, but
they also have a few shortcomings, too.
DedCool: Made in L.A., thisgender-neutral, vegan, and cruelty-free brand is
made without any parabens, phthalates, carcinogens, EDTA, fillers, or animal
by products. While it’s made with organic extracts, they also use a “propriety”
fragrance blend, so not all of their ingredients are publicly available.
Maison Louis Marie: This fragrance brand (which is based on a family
tradition that’s over 200 years old!) is free from a long list of toxic ingredients;
however, they still don’t list the actual ingredients that are included in each of
their scents.
LINNIC: Uses all plant-based ingredients with phthalate-free fragrances (but
doesn’t list what the actual fragrance ingredients are). You can use the code
THEFILTERY10 for 10% off at BLK+GRN.
CLEAN Beauty Collective: This is one of the only safer brands available at
department stores like Macy’s. While they have a great “No To List” and most
of their ingredients are safe, they do use a couple of ethoxylated ingredients,
and they lack transparency in some areas.
Pacifica: Available at big box stores like Target, this cruelty-free and vegan
brand carries a wide range of scents. While they’re mostly non-toxic, they do
use a couple of questionable ingredients like benzyl benzoate and they could
use some more transparency, too (their “parfum” includes “our scent blend
with natural and/or essential oils,” but they don’t actually list what those oils
are.
Good Chemistry: This is another one that’s available at Target. While they’re
cruelty-free and vegan fragrances are made without parabens, phthalates, or
sulfates, they don’t list their actual ingredients.
Not Recommended Perfume Brands
 Byredo
 Calvin Klein
 Clinique
 Chanel
 Dior
 Dolce & Gabbana
 Elizabeth Arden
 Estée Lauder
 Givenchy
 Gucci
 Hermés
 Jo Malone London
 Juice Couture
 Lancome
 LUSH
 Marc Jacobs
 Philosophy
 Ralph Lauren
 Raw Spirit
 Tiffany & Co.
 Tom Ford
 Versace
 Yves Saint Laurent
More F.A.Q.s About Perfume
What is Perfume?
It might seem like a silly question, but wearing perfume has not always been
about just smelling good.
For centuries, wearable fragrances were used for spiritual practices, for
communal rituals, and for their medicinal values. And it wasn’t just about the
product and its purpose; the process of growing, extracting, and creating the
“potions” was just as valued. Historically, fragrances were always derived
from nature, and many of the non-toxic perfume brands we’ve shared in this
article view perfumery as an art form conceived and inspired by nature. 
We can’t talk about perfume without talking about skin. It is our bodies’ largest
organ that a) we apply perfume products to and b) is a protective barrier
between the outside and inside of our bodies as part of our integumentary
system. Our integumentary system also includes our hair, nails, glands, and
nerves. Since this system can absorb so much of what we put on it, it’s good
to be mindful of the ingredients used in the fragrances we spray, rub, and dab
on ourselves.
In the same way our sense of taste craves nourishment through food, there is
an instinctive reason our olfactory sense is attracted to so many healthful
botanicals. Let this be a proposal to seek our wearable fragrances not for
hiding our detoxing stink, but for helping our body function and battle the
toxins around us.
But it’s not just about having skin that smells good. Fragrances also trigger
mental associations, memories, and pheromones. This is where the mind,
body, and spirit connection is really strong—when it comes to perfume,
they’re all connected!
How Much Of The Perfume Is Absorbed Into My Body?
There is not yet a straightforward answer to the question of how much our
skin actually absorbs. Your skin consists of several different layers, which
vary in chemical composition. So the ingredients and compounds they let
through to be absorbed into your body vary as well.
Not only that, but the cosmetics industry has found ways (like emulsification,
for example) to make things easier for your skin to absorb. So how much of a
product gets absorbed also depends on the formulation of the product.
All that being said, though, your skin is still an incredibly powerful barrier
when it comes to toxins, and it has measures in place (like toxin-deactivating
enzymes) that stop many potentially harmful chemicals from getting into your
skin.
There are so many different variables that determine how much perfume is
absorbed into your body: age, skin color, environment, type of chemical,
allergen history, total toxic burden, and area of the body (the skin on your face
is thinner and more absorbent than the skin on the bottoms of your feet).
The point is that we probably absorb some but not all of what we put on our
skin (or somewhere around 64% on average). But everyone is different, so
that exact amount is going to be different for each person, and maybe even
for each season!
What Can I Use Instead Of Perfume?
When you think “perfume,” you might only think of a traditional spray.
However, there are other forms of clean fragrance that you can use as
perfume. In this article, you’ll notice a blurry line between serums, body oils,
powders, and spray perfumes—all of these different mediums can be used for
the same purpose as a conventional spray perfume.
These non-toxic perfume brands are using ingredients and recipes with
intention, so instead of just masking body odor with scent identity, they strive
to offer doses of health benefits too.
Conclusion
Natural, non-toxic perfumes are not impossible to find and your body will
thank you in the long run! Are there any other specific perfume brands you’re
wondering about? Let us know in the comments below!

About the Author

Jaclyn Stephens is an artist, farmer, and writer. Her work generates
associative play between environments, materials, meanings, and sensory
perceptions. Utilizing a variety of mediums, her work suspends the buoyancy
we experience between the known and unknown about nature. Cultivating a
relationship with landscape is both a way of living and a way of making, but
primarily what connects everything she is constantly doing.

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