Giving up toxic perfumes doesn't mean you have to give up smelling nice. There are plenty of clean fragrance options out there. Here are my favorite clean perfumes in fresh, florals scents for spring.
When I first swore off toxic beauty products, I thought it meant I could never smell good again. No perfume or scented lotions. I all but resigned myself to smelling like essential oils, or worse, an unbathed hippie. Luckily, the beauty industry has come a long way in the last few years, producing clean perfume options that are every bit as luxurious as conventional fragrances - without the harmful side effects. I've sampled a lot of clean perfume options trying to find 'the one', and in the beauty of all that is spring, today I'm sharing a couple of my favorite fresh, floral picks for the season.
Why You Need a Clean Perfume
Conventional perfumes are often a mix of natural and synthetic chemicals that companies use to obtain just the right balance and consistent results. The problem is, in the US, anything added as fragrance to cosmetics (and to other products) is highly unregulated - anything in the category is able to be added to the ingredients list under the bulk term "fragrance" in order to protect "trade secrets"1. That means we have no idea which specific chemicals are going into perfumes - and then onto our bodies.
Furthermore, the FDA doesn't require companies to prove that added ingredients are safe before they go to market. From their own website:
"The law does not require FDA approval before they go on the market, but they must be safe for consumers when they are used according to labeled directions, or as people customarily use them. Companies and individuals who manufacture or market cosmetics have a legal responsibility for ensuring that their products are safe and properly labeled."
That means that it's the companies selling us the products that we are trusting with our safety, so I'm sure they're all 100% on the up-and-up, right?
So the word "fragrance" on a label tells us virtually nothing, and could mean toxic chemicals like phthalates, and even contaminants like aldehydes, parabens and aluminum-based salts. Conventional fragrances have been linked to allergies, dermatitis, respiratory distress and potential effects on the reproductive system.2 Furthermore, a recent review of studies showed that conventional perfumes and colognes are linked to side effects like allergies, breast cancer, reproductive disorders, especially in males, skin allergies, nervous system damage and migraine headaches.3
Luckily, there are cleaner options made by companies who are transparent about what they put in their perfumes - and they actually smell wonderful, too!
My Favorite Clean Scents for Spring
Spring calls for fresh, floral scents that evoke the beauty and awakening of the natural world around us! I'm typically not super into floral scents, but I do like something fresh, girls and lightly flowery. I'm equally in love with both of these two clean perfumes for spring - they are not overly sweet smelling but perfectly suited for the new season!
Sheer, modern, and beautiful, FLORIST Eau de Parfum is a celebration of citrus and floral notes. Tuberose petals, Italian bergamot, golden gardenia, honeysuckle, and jasmine combine in a stunning arrangement that lingers like a flower-filled spring breeze. This clean formula is the perfect fresh, girly scent for Spring!
Ellis Brooklyn FLORIST
Ellis Brooklyn's FLORIST is the more girly pick - but it's not over the top. With notes of Italian bergamot, lily of the valley, pear, gardenia, jasmine and honeysuckle, this award winning perfume is perfectly romantic yet balanced. The scent lingers (lightly) for hours - it's not at all overpowering. I reach for this one on date nights. And the bottle is so cute!
A safe, EWG verified floral eau de parfum from Henry Rose with notes of orange flower water, jasmine absolute and cedarwood. I'm obsessed with this scent for Spring!
Henry Rose Flora Carnivora
Flora Carnivora by Henry Rose is my other top pick for a clean spring perfume. If you like scents that lean slightly more earthy, you'll love this one. It has notes of soft jasmine, tuberose and orange flower, as well as cedarwood and vetiver. It is more fresh and earthy, yet still feminine - like being in a meadow of wildflowers. All Henry Rose perfumes are EWG verified - the highest standard in clean beauty - color me impressed! - yet it performs just as good if not better than conventional perfumes. I love this one for everyday wear.
Not ready to commit to a full bottle? Henry Rose has 6 scent and 11 scent discovery set, and Ellis Brooklyn also has a discovery set, all of which are great price points for trying out different clean scents before you buy a full bottle!
- Reviewer Stats
- Age: 30s
- Hair Type: Oily + Color Treated
- Skin Type: Oily/Combo
- Concern: Breakouts + Preventing fine lines
