Organic Perfumes: Everything To Know About Them

The modern world certainly pays more attention to ingredients than ever before. When we think of organic anything, we usually consider the foods we eat. But organic perfumes and even organic clothing continue to rise in popularity.

So what is an organic perfume? How do perfumers create organic fragrances?

Let’s deep dive.

What Does Organic Perfume Mean?

In food, we understand “organic” to imply a more pure ingredient experience. With organic perfumes, the same implication applies. 

In short, an organic perfume is typically created from plant-based sources. In plants, we find oils. A perfume maker can extract these oils and make a fragrance. The process of oil extraction from plants is accomplished in a couple of ways. 

One way is to use a natural-based solvent and the other requires a form of carbon dioxide. In both cases, a natural plant’s oils are extracted and used to create an organic perfume. 

How To Identify Organic Perfumes

There isn’t a standard for organic perfumes. To figure out which perfumes are organic, you’ll need to read the labels. You probably already read perfume labels that detail things like base notes. In this case, you’re looking at the perfume’s ingredients used to make the fragrance. 

All perfumes typically need to use a form of alcohol; that’s not a bad thing. Also, you should expect to find resin, beeswax, balsam, and other plant extracts on an organic perfume label. 

But much like food labels, determining organic-anything often means looking for what you don’t want more than what you do prefer.

For example, a perfume containing phthalates probably isn’t organic. There is some evidence that phthalates alter the endocrine system. Sometimes phthalates are cited as Diethyl phthalate (DEP) on a perfume label. 

Should You Buy Organic Perfumes?

Whether or not you buy an organic perfume comes down to preference. Just because a perfume contains organic ingredients doesn’t mean you won’t have a perfume allergy. These two concepts aren’t the same. People are allergic to natural plants and oils. Often, people think “organic” insulates them from the threat of an allergic reaction. That’s untrue and a risky line of thinking. 

Choosing to buy organic anything comes down to a personal preference and belief system. There’s not much in the way of science suggesting that buying organic perfumes will drastically improve your life. On the other hand, millions of people wear ordinary perfumes daily. So far, we’ve not experienced a zombie apocalypse as a result. A good idea might be to discuss the idea of organic perfumes with your doctor. 

If you are concerned about perfume allergies or reactions, definitely discuss that matter with your medical professional. Moreover, you can always opt to use a small perfume sample to test out a fragrance experience. This way, you don’t break the bank and end up with an allergic reaction.