We’ve all been there – trapped in an elevator with someone emitting an inappropriately powerful perfume cloud or maneuvering our way through the noxious labyrinth of a department store’s perfume counter. At the very least this is an unpleasant few minutes of our day, but for some of us it is a nauseating, headache-inducing hell-scape. I am one of these people. And it inspired me to createsomething better .
Perfumery has ancient roots that were as much a spiritual exploration as they were an aesthetic one. Expressions of flowers, plants, fruit pulp, tree resins, and spices were imaginatively blended into fragrant oils and applied to the body. But alas, as is the way with many burgeoning industries, towards the end of the 18th century the high cost of natural materials began to be reconsidered. Lured by cheapness, colorlessness and stability, the perfume industry began embracing synthetically formulated ingredients wholeheartedly. And they’ve never looked back – but I have.
Much of my life have been spent traveling to natural locations far and wide, and nothing has ever smelled as good as a big breath of that fresh air. I’ve weaved these scent-laden memories into a personal mission: channeling the spirit of nature into refined natural perfumes. Fragrances fresh from the fields and flowers tell a different story than those manufactured in a laboratory and have eliminated my headache-filled reaction to synthetics. I createdVeyali and became not only a storyteller of scent but an advocate against the dangers of synthetic fragrance.
Why make the switch from synthetics?
1 / Hidden Dangers
Independent laboratory tests of many name-brand perfumes have revealed a whopping 38 secret chemicals not listed on the label. Hidden within the catchall term “fragrance” are synthetic chemicals with troubling hazardous properties, and the ability to accumulate in human tissues. And it just keeps getting worse. More than 95 percent of them are derived from petrochemicals. These chemicals include phthalates, parabens, benzene derivatives, aldehydes, and a slew of other known toxins that are capable of causing allergies, hormone disruption, nervous-system disorders, obesity, birth defects and cancer. Sure, phthalates basically glue perfume to your skin and clothes, allowing it to last all day and night. But I’ll pass on this carcinogen and touch up my natural perfume whenever I feel the need. Peace of mind sure smells sweet.
2 / No Less Luxe
You don’t have to sacrifice elegance to make the switch. Natural perfume formulations and packaging can be just as refined and complex as those created for name-brand fragrances. Scent created from the natural world is truly on another level altogether. These all-natural ingredients have the power to go much deeper than synthetics – to heal and affect the wearer on a spiritual and energetic level. Aroma chemicals Acetate C-9 FCC and Aldehyde C-16 sure can't do that. I’m just sayin’.
3 / Get More Botanicals for your Buck
One thing that still blows my mind is the price point of some commercial perfumes, considering that the aroma chemicals they are comprised of are extremely cheap! Many of today’s natural perfumes are comparably priced despite a much higher cost for their natural ingredients. It often comes down to what would you prefer to pay for – an inflated marketing budget or quality ingredients?
4 / Your Space, Your Scent
Scent is a wholly personal experience. Unlike synthetic perfumes, which inflict their overwhelming scent on everyone within a one-mile radius, natural perfumes stay closer to the body. Don’t infringe on the scent preferences of those around you. Go natural.Pro Tip /
Resist the temptation to rub your wrists together after applying natural perfume. This action crushes the delicate top notes. In essence, speeding up your scent experience by bypassing the top notes and going straight to the middle/heart notes.
I’m so excited to announce that my new line ofPure Botanical Perfumes are now available at Shop Good ! Pure botanicals means you can breathe easy knowing there areNO : petrochemicals, preservatives, parabens, phthalates, GMOs, fixatives or any of those other synthetic fragrances almost no one can pronounce. Just organic and wildcrafted plants in an organic sugarcane alcohol base. Pure and simple.
I want you to have the freshest, most true to nature experience as possible so my beautiful little bottles hold a concentrated essence that travels with you on all your adventures. Don’t just smell good, feel good knowing that your fragrance is born from the sublimity of nature.
chemical-free ▲ cruelty-free ▲ vegan ▲ sustainable ▲ unisex ▲ small batch
“Fragrance has the instantaneous and invisible power to penetrate consciousness with pure pleasure.” – Mandy Aftel*all pics via Veyali
