You know how you can recognize someone by their smell? We often have memories brought back to our conscious by certain smells; our brains are very powerful and our bodies are amazingly woven together emotionally and physically. In my journey of learning to use less toxins in my home I am learning so much and becoming empowered.
I am amazed at what I didn’t know and just went about doing, applying all types of toxins to my skin, washing my hair with toxic shampoos, moisturizing my body with lotions full of chemicals and using chemical ladened hand sanitizer. And the big one for me, which I ditched about a year ago, synthetic perfume.
Fragrance is now considered among the top five allergens in North America and European countries and is associated with a wide range of skin, eye and respiratory reactions. SOURCE
YIKES! This really shouldn’t amaze me, but it does.
For over 15 years I was known by my smell – (at least it was a good smell!!). I could come into a room and everyone would know I was there because of my Donna Karan Cashmere Mist perfume I wore. I loved that perfume.
As I met my health challenges “head on” with new approaches to dealing with my symptoms, I decided to examine all things – and synthetic perfume was one that hit me upside the head. Why on earth was I intentionally spraying myself with chemicals that I really had no idea how they could be affecting my body? There are major health risks of those chemicals in fragrances.
According the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics a few popular perfume tested for safety contained an average of ten unlisted chemicals each that are associated with allergic reactions like asthma, wheezing, headache and contact dermatitis. Additionally, perfumes tested contain an average of four chemicals known to be endocrine disruptors, which impair normal hormone development and have been linked to a range of health issues including sperm damage, thyroid disruption and cancer.
So I decided to take a look at my fragrance, Donna Karan Cashmere Mist Body Lotion and it’s 
ingredients:
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate – is a synoym of Octinoxate which has moderate health concerns per EWG’s website – it says:
Other HIGH concerns: Biochemical or cellular level changes, Endocrine disruption; Other MODERATE concerns: Persistence and bioaccumulation; Other LOW concerns: Enhanced skin absorption, Ecotoxicology, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
DIMETHICONE – Moderate concern with Organ System Toxicity SOURCE
METHYLPARABEN – Other HIGH concerns: Endocrine disruption; Other MODERATE concerns: Biochemical or cellular level changes; SOURCE
That is just the lotion. That was enough for me. So it was ditched, thrown out and never used again. This has been 10 months ago. If you are curious about other forms of toxins in your personal items, a good friend of mine and I did an online class a few months ago sharing what we discovered about our toothpaste, shampoo and more. Feel free to watch it!
So what do I use now? All natural Essential Oils, which not only smell fabulous but have benefits which are profound for my body!
Did you know that because of the molecular structure of essential oils they are rapidly absorbed by the skin. When applied topically, it takes 2-3 minutes for an oil to reach the bloodstream and 20 minutes to affect every cell in the body. AMAZING! Plus, when an essential oil aroma is inhaled it causes the olfactory bulb to send messages to the limbic part of the brain, which activates memories and emotions. When inhaling, it takes only 22 seconds for an oil to reach the brain. The only way to reach the limbic system is through smell, which is why oils are such a great option for those needing emotional balance and mood stabilization. I have shared about my journey dealing with both.
I will say I get even more compliments on how I smell now than I did when I was wearing my toxic perfume. One example…. I purchased a lamp at a local store and unfortunately it didn’t work out, so the next day I ran over to return it. I had the same check out gal return my item as I had when I had purchased it the day before. She promptly mentioned to me that I smelled so good and that she wanted to ask me what I had on the day before but held back. She said I still smelled good, so I told her my “scent” and she was really surprised! I think people expect you to smell like a hippy or something if you use essential oils!! It makes me laugh. I constantly have people asking me why or what I have on that makes me smell so good.
My favorite oils to use as my perfume now which support my emotional side as well are:
Joy, an amazing blend of Bergamot, Ylang ylang, Geranium, Lemon, Coriander, Tangerine, Jasmine, Roman chamomile, Palmarosa, and Rose. I share here in a short video a bit more on how I use it and why I love it.
Harmony, also a blend which contains Royal Hawaiian sandalwood oil, Lavender oil, Ylang ylang, Frankincense oil, Orange oil, Angelica, Geranium, Hyssop, Spanish sage, Black spruce, Coriander, Bergamot, Lemon, Jasmine, Roman chamomile, Palmarosa, and Rose. This is a powerful emotional blend for me and I apply several times a day. I also wear it in my diffuser necklace, which is a fabulous way to have an oil aroma constantly available to inhale, plus be a bit stylish. I got this one from diffusing mama, if you use the referral code 150125 upon checkout it will let them know you found them thru my blog too! I have the one with a silver chain and it dresses up even just a t-shirt and I love it. There is a small leather disc inside that you drop your essential oil into and it will smell great for days!
Sacred Mountain, another incredible blend which contains only a few oils, Spruce, ylang ylang, Balsam fir, and cedar wood. I love this one applied to my ears – yes of all places!!
Valor, one of Young Living’s most popular blend oils – it is amazing for emotional support and lifting your spirit. It is a blend of Spruce, rosewood, blue tansy and frankincense.
I encourage you to take a real look at what toxins you are using in your home and more importantly on your body that just are not necessary risks. I am a firm believer that what we are using and applying to our largest organ (our skin) is having dramatic effects on our health. Why take the risk when there are other options?
If you are ready to take a look at using essential oils for your benefit, feel free to join me for a LIVE online class this coming Monday, March 16th at 6:00 PM PDT/ 9:00 PM EDT. It will be a fun learning event and you can ask questions too. Please RSVP here on the Facebook event page and then link to the class will be posted there the day of the class.
If you know you are ready to jump in NOW – then jump over to my information page and learn what you can get in your Premium Starter Kit and the other FREE bonuses I am offering right now, for a limited time. I would love to join you in your journey – you will love our supportive Facebook private group too – love these oily mamas!! We encourage each other daily!
Why I Ditched Donna Karan is a post from: The Confident Mom