Yesterday I shared that dryer sheets are one of the biggest offenders and most toxic things we have in our home.
The next is FRAGRANCE. Yep. Dryer sheets and synthetic fragrance are two of the most harmful things we have in our homes. If this surprises you, know that it was an eye opener for me too!
This includes so many things (shampoos, lotions, perfumes, and fabric softener). I want to focus on today and fragrances we use to scent our home.
We literally are poisoning our own homes and our families when we use scented candles, wax warmers, plug-ins, and air “freshening” sprays. I kinda makes me angry that corporations are allowed to call these sprays “freshening” and it should you too.
One of the most concerning things I’ve learned since making the shift to a chemical free lifestyle, is that there are trade secret laws that actually PROTECT the corportations that create these fragranced products so they are not required to disclose what is in them. According to the EWG, “When you see ‘fragrance’ on a personal care product’s label, read it as ‘hidden chemicals.’ A major loophole in FDA’s federal law lets manufacturers of products like shampoo, lotion, and body wash include nearly any ingredient in their products under the name ‘fragrance’ without actually listing the chemical.”
One of the most harmful toxins in fragrance are phthalates. Phthalates disrupt hormones, lower sperm count (um, hello friends trying to increase fertility), and have been linked directly to liver and breast cancer as well as autism and ADHD.
And let’s talk scented candles. Burning one scented candle releases the same amount of carcinogens into the air as sidestream smoke from one cigarette. That statistic alone was super convincing for me. And y’all, I loved my Yankee candles. Seriously.
If you are curious to learn more, you can simply do a google search for “synthetic fragrance” or “phthalates.” Here is a blog where I found some of the information for this post:
http://www.liverenewed.com/2016/04/ditch-synthetic-fragrances.html
If you are reading this, you have a diffuser and essential oils because you have your Young Living Starter Kit!
Diffusing is so much smarter and better for your familiy for so many reasons:
+ No harmful toxins!
+Oils actually support and benefit the body
+ You can try different scent combinations and have fun creating your own diffuser blends.
Diffusing consistently is the better choice. We have to be guardians at the threshhold of our own homes, consciously deciding what we will and will not allow. Ditching air freshening sprays, scented candles, wax warmers and plug-ins is the right thing to do.
Essentially Better Living 