clean pefume brands

26 Best Non-Toxic Perfumes (Guide + Tips from a Top Natural Perfumer)

I’ve tested hundreds of non toxic perfumes over the years so it’s about time I created the ULTIMATE guide to clean, natural and organic perfume brands to help you find the best one for YOU. The fragrance world can get confusing, so we’re here to take the guesswork out for you.

We consulted with award-winning botanical perfumer Charna Ethier, founder of Providence Perfume Co. for a top expert’s insight and tips. Our comprehensive guide deep dives into what clean perfume is, why it’s important to switch to a non-toxic one and answers your most frequently asked questions. Keep reading to find out my favorite perfumes that are safe and smell amazing!

non toxic perfumes made with natural ingredients

What is Clean Perfume?

The safest clean perfume is 100% natural and made without any synthetics, petrochemicals, fragrance oils, dyes, parabens, pthathlates or chemical fragrances. Conventional fragrances, on the other hand, are a synthetic cocktail that can be made up of hundreds of chemicals that don’t have to be disclosed due to trade secret laws.

In fact, there are around 3,000 chemicals used in fragrance and many of these are known hormone disrupters and endocrine disrupters (while others have never been studied at all). Not to mention they give plenty of people, including myself, a migraine!

Organic perfumesThe safest way to enjoy perfume is by avoiding synthetics and choosing trustworthy non toxic fragrance brands that use botanicals extracts from nature instead.

It’s important to remember that most clean perfume brands today are not 100% natural and include synthetics. This is true for all mass-manufactured brands at Sephora like The 7 Virtues, Ellis Brooklyn and Dime Beauty. And I don’t say this to demonize them but to present all the info accurately, so you can make the best informed decision.

We’ve divided our list into two categories, so you know which brands are all natural and which are not.

Non-Toxic Perfume versus Clean Perfume

non toxic perfumesThere are two main categories within clean perfume: 100% natural and organic perfumes without any synthetic or lab-made ingredients included and ones that do include synthetics. Each type caters to different types of consumers and needs, so which is right for you?

Brands that include synthetics like Henry Rose and The 7 Virtues will have more similarities to conventional fragrance like being able to last longer than essential oil perfumes.

If you’re a diehard mainstream fragrance fan, but still want to try to choose cleaner options, then I feel like those will be the easiest transition for you because they’re longer lasting.

Keep in mind that when brands say “safe synthetics” they mean that it is hypoallergenic and safe for sensitive skin, not that it’s been tested for human health.

On the other hand, natural or organic perfume brands do not formulate using synthetics, petrochemicals, dyes, parabens, pthathlates, chemical fragrances or even fragrance oils.

Instead, they use whole botanicals, resins, plants, flowers and woods and create in small batches using time-honored ancient perfumery techniques.

I find the quality of these perfumes to be the highest. But because of the exceptionally high quality of their raw materials, truly non-toxic perfumes can cost anywhere between $100 and $200 or higher which might be out of your budget.

How to Choose a Non Toxic Perfume

non toxic perfumes natural

I consulted with Providence Perfume Co owner & master botanical perfumer Charna Ethier, who shared her tips for discerning if a fragrance is truly natural or botanical (made from plants and flowers, not aroma chemicals). Ethier says, “

1. Is the perfume colored or is it clear? It’s almost impossible to make a true natural perfume that’s clear as most natural essences are brightly colored when distilled. For example real jasmine absolute is a dark orange brown color.

2. Is it expensive? Most natural perfumes are costly as the materials are very expensive in comparison to synthetic aroma chemicals. If the fragrance is a bargain I highly doubt it’s natural.

3. Does it smell familiar or like other perfumes you’ve worn for years? If so, it’s likely got synthetic ingredients in it. Natural perfumes smell a little different from mainstream perfumes which are about 98% synthetic. Real sandalwood smells nothing like synthetic sandalwood, same for rose and jasmine. The real flower smells different from the chemical version!”

Best Clean Perfume Brands

Here is the full list of clean perfumes that actually last! Many of these are available at Sephora for you to try in person before buying.

By Rosie Jane perfumes

By Rosie Jane

by rosie jane clean perfumeBy Rosie Jane is my top pick and recommendation if you love wearable feminine scents that aren’t overpowering. Their scents are so easy and light, and perfect for those who don’t want overly synthetic smelling perfumes but still want something that performs close to conventional perfume.

Californian perfume brand By Rosie Jane offers vegan and clean perfumes, and discloses each synthetic they use in the name of transparency. My personal By Rosie Jane favorites are Dulce (a creamy vanilla amber), Lake (a citrus vanilla) and Rosie (a super light rose skin scent)! Dylan is a great woodsy, creamy, grounding scent for winter.

 

 

Phlur missing person

Phlur

Phlur is a Sephora clean perfume brand that I would characterize as having strong, heady scents that are similar to fine fragrance. They can be quite heavy if you have a sensitive nose. My personal favorite Phlur perfume for everyday wear is Phloria, a sumptuous creamy white floral that smells SO good and for summer Apricot Privee!

New owner Chriselle Lim is now at the helm of ethically conscious and clean fragrance brand Phlur. Created in 2015, Phlur creates modern fine fragrances that are mindfully formulated, responsibly sourced and crafted by world-class perfumers. Phlur performs closer to a conventional fragrance and has strong projection and longevity.

Clean beauty collective perfume

Clean Beauty Collective

I found Clean Beauty Collective fragrances to be  simple and uncomplicated with strong performance. If you’re looking for a clean fresh laundry scent without harmful phthalates and parabens, their Warm Cotton scent captures it perfectly!

Founded in 2013, Clean Beauty Collective has been making clean perfumes with natural and safe synthetics for over a decade with their Clean Reserve and Clean Classic fragrance lines. Clean Beauty Collective works with partners that use green manufacturing practices and chooses responsibly sourced, sustainable ingredients that give back. 

 

Floral street perfume

Floral Street

If you’re looking for healthy floral scents that actually last, Floral Street is a great clean perfume brand for floral perfume lovers since every scent focuses on flowers! I’ve tested the entire Floral Street line and my personal favorites from the Floral Street line are Arizona Bloom and Wild Vanilla Orchid.

Floral Street is a modern fragrance brand with sustainability at its core. They use synthetics to perform like a fine fragrance and are vegan, cruelty free and sustainably sourced. 

Sana jardin perfume  

Sana Jardin

Another healthy floral fragrance line I recommend is Sana Jardin – I can’t get enough of their Incense Water perfume! I found Sana Jardin perfumes to be beautifully feminine and easygoing with a decent amount of complexity. Sana Jardin is a socially conscious, luxury fragrance house. Their vision is to use clean and sustainable perfume as a vehicle for social impact and the economic empowerment of women.

Sana Jardin is built on the principles of a circular economy – their alternative business model enables the women in their supply chain to become micro-entrepreneurs by up-cycling the waste products from perfume production. The complexity of Sana Jardin perfumes are akin to fine fragrances. Sana Jardin is ideal for floral fragrance lovers. 

Ellis Brooklyn sci fi perfume

Ellis Brooklyn

ellis brooklyn clean perfumeI tested all of Ellis Brooklyn’s bestsellers and find the line to be very easy and feminine and  great for perfume beginners and younger individuals. Ellis Brooklyn perfumes are PETA Certified vegan and cruelty free.

I really like their honeyed fragrance called Bee and find all their fragrances to be super wearable and approachable. They also seem to smell a tad less synthetic than other clean fragrance brands to my sensitive nose. 

Henry Rose perfume

Henry Rose

I tested all the Henry Rose perfumes and would characterize this as a rich, heavy line of scents. If you’re looking for easy, light and ultra feminine scents Henry Rose is not for you! They’re very intense scents in general but I did enjoy their darker vanilla scents like Torn and a creamy floral scent Flora Carnivora.

Henry Rose was founded by actress Michelle Pfeiffer who gave up mainstream toxic fragrance after becoming a mom. But her desire to wear fragrance led her to create her own fragrance brand that measured up to her standards. Henry Rose is EWG verified and was developed by luxury fragrance house perfumers from a list of just 300 allowed ingredients from 3000.

Maison Louis Marie

Maison Louis Marie

I tested all of Maison Louie Marie’s bestsellers and find this line to be a collection of sophisticated and elegant perfumes. Their woodsy bestseller Bois de Balincourt is seriously sooo good.

Created by Belgian native Marie along with her LA native husband, Maison Louis Marie is an eco-conscious clean fragrance line balancing both synthetic and natural ingredients. Maison Louis Marie only uses synthetic ingredients in order to protect the planet from the over-harvesting of endangered plants, to avoid animal products, and to protect against known natural allergens. 

Moodeux

Moodeaux

If you love sensual gorgeous scents, check out Moodeaux! Founded by former Refinery29 editor-turned-marketing expert Brianna Arps, Moodeaux creates skin nourishing clean fragrances that accessorize your mood. Worthy Supercharged Skin Scent is made at a high 30% concentration.

They’re also the first Black owned fragrance brand to be carried at Credo Beauty. Moodeux uses absolutes, botanical derivatives and safe synthetics.

lavanila healthy fragrance

Lavanila The Healthy Fragrance

Lavanila is a vanilla lover’s dream come true with their wide range of vanilla focused scents. I found their perfumes to be simple (in a very good way) and clean smelling. Plus the bottle are absolutely huge! They contain skin-nourishing ingredients along with pure essential oils, nature identical oils, and botanically derived aromas.

Skylar Salt Air

Skylar

This is a great line for clean perfume beginners or young teens. I find Skylar’s perfumes to be super girly, youthful and feminine and mostly catered to the younger generation. Founder Cat Chen created Skylar after her daughter began experiencing allergic reactions to her everyday perfume.

Dedcool

Dedcool

Dedcool is a line of genderless and vegan fragrances founded & created in Los Angeles in 2016. At 21, founder, Carina Chaz created her company as an extension of her passion for cologne, masculine scents. White Musk, bergamot and amber are three recurring notes present in the entire Dedcool collection, which also includes safe synthetics. 

The 7 Virtues Perfume  

The 7 Virtues

the 7 virtues clean perfumeThis is a great B Corp certified clean perfume brand that you can try out in person at Sephora. I love that they are mission driven and create clean perfumes with vegan, sustainably sourced ingredients. Vanilla Woods is just the perfect vanilla scent and Vetiver Elemi is so grounding with a sweet facet.

Founded by author and activist, Barb Stegemann in 2010, The 7 Virtues is a socially driven perfume brand focused on helping nations rebuild after war or strife. All of The 7 Virtues natural, organic and fair trade essential oils are ethically sourced. A lot of people think The 7 Virtues is all natural, but they do use synthetics along with essential oils! 

Abbott nyc telluride

Abbott NYC

This is clean cologne brand inspired by the American outdoors, but some of their fragrances can be worn by women too! I tested the entire Abbott range and liked Montecito, Sequoia and Telluride the most. Founded by Jose Alvarez and Michael Pass and now in Sephora stores, Abbott is clean, PETA certified vegan and cruelty-free and eco-driven.

Their mission is to create healthy and conscious fragrances using the cleanest and most sustainable ingredients. Abbott scents are designed by two senior perfumers who have made scents for Burberry, Givenchy and Marc Jacobs among others. This is a unisex fragrance line that would be most liked by men, but can also be enjoyed by women. 

 

Inkling scents

Inkling Scents

If you’re looking for a stronger perfume oil that actually lasts, Inkling Scents makes vegan perfumes made of 100% pure essential and fragrance oils. Their collection of Earth Notes perfumes are  infused by suspending dried, raw materials in the formula.

Inkling Scents are handmade in small batches on the founder’s small farm utilizing organic ingredients from their on-site garden. My favorite Inkling Scent is Pulse, a warm earthy vanilla scent that has hints of fruitiness with notes of mandarin, nutmeg, blueberry, rose, pink peony, patchouli and finally musk, vanilla bourbon and sandalwood. Inkling Scents lasts 4+ hours.

100% Natural Perfume Brands

wit & west perfume

Wit & West

I tried nine of Wit & West’s natural perfume bestsellers and found them so interesting and complex. Wit & West Perfumes is a 100% all-natural botanical perfumery with a focus on rare natural ingredients and unique scents for those who don’t want to smell like everyone else.

Their perfumes are handcrafted completely in-house in small-batches using only the finest, high-quality 100% natural whole botanicals and naturally derived ingredients. 

providence perfume non toxic

Providence Perfume Co

My top pick and recommendation for luxury shoppers who love beautiful and feminine scents is Providence Perfume Co’s all natural perfumes. I recommend you start out with their perfume oil sample set because every scent is simply gorgeous and it feels like you’re smelling the real flower or plant. Providence Perfume Co is an award-winning 100% natural perfume company using the finest botanical ingredients from around the world.

They have their own perfume bar in Rhode Island where perfumery classes are also taught. Providence Perfume Co fragrances are Fifi award nominated, which is the highest honor in the industry. Providence perfumes do not contain: synthetics, petrochemicals, fragrance oils, dyes, parabens, pthathlates or chemical fragrances. I find the longevity is around 3 hours with 4-5 spritzes.

Living libations Perfume

Living Libations

Living Libations has a wide array of 100% natural and non toxic perfumes made in a base of organic biodynamic alcohol and infused with essential oils. They have SO many beautiful natural perfume creations, including colognes, and they’re all really good. I know there’s a lot of jasmine lovers out there, so I’d recommend their Jasmine Julep if that’s you!

Heretic perfume

Heretic Parfum

Heretic is what I’d describe as an avant-garde LA perfume brand and they make one of my favorite clean perfumes ever – Dirty Hinoki! It is such an alluring woodsy scent with a sweet undercurrent.

Heretic Parfum makes handcrafted fragrance made from 100% naturally derived botanical ingredients blended in organic sugarcane alcohol. Their fragrances are Unisex, vegan, and cruelty-free and handcrafted in small batches at their Los Angeles studio. Some Heretic perfumes are 100% natural and some include synthetics (check individual perfume).

Sephora Sale: 50% off here

Bohemian reves desert fleurs

Bohemian Reves

Bohemian Reves is a fantastic affordable clean perfume brand that’s a great place to start if you want to wear something natural that doesn’t break the bank!

Plant-based, hand-crafted beauty line Bohemian Reves creates a handful of 100% botanical perfumes that they hand blend in their Florida studio and finish in their heavy weight geometric glass vessels. Desert Fleur is a sultry and simple mix of patchouli and vanilla, that’s both romantic and grounding. The longevity is about 4-5 hours.

Aftelier Perfumes

Aftelier Perfumes

Another 100% natural perfume brand I recommend for luxury shoppers is California-based Aftelier Perfumes. Their non toxic perfumes are a bit more advanced and cater to the fragrance nerd, but anyone can enjoy their luxe blends.

They use the finest natural essences found around the world, and Mandy Aftel who is deemed the godmother of natural perfumery, uses organic or wild-crafted oils whenever possible. Fun fact: She has also taught many up and coming natural perfumers, including the founder of Heretic Parfum!

La Fleur by Livvy

La Fleur by Livvy 

I tested seven of La Fleur by Livvy’s bestsellers and find the line to be deeply inspired by exotic places. My favorite has to be A Parisian Affair, a very sensual yellow floral amber scent that’s so sumptuous!

Founded by self taught perfumer Olivia Larson in 2013 in Colorado, La Fleur By Livvy is an all natural perfume brand with florals at the heart of the line. Their fragrances are themed around Journeys and Travel. La Fleur By Livvy offers both 100% botanical perfumes and “mixed” perfumes that include aroma chemicals, natural isolates and synthetic musks for better longevity and sillage.

Leahlani bless aromatherapy essence

Leahlani

natural perfume made with non toxic ingredientsI’ve tried all three of Leahlani’s natural essential oil perfumes: Bless, Pua Lei and Pamplemousse. These come as rollerball applicators and my favorite is the gorgeous Hawaiian tropical scent of Pua Lei.

If you’ve been on the hunt for a vanilla citrus that isn’t too sharp or bright, their new Pamplemousse perfume knocks it out of the park.

Leahlani is a Hawaiian organic skincare brand that also makes a handful of natural perfumes inspired by the lush landscapes of Hawaii.  Use code OBL to save 15%.

Red flower perfume

Red Flower NYC

Organic body care brand Red Flower makes a couple of 100% natural perfumes from essential oils and certified organic plants that are simple and aromatherapeutic.

Their perfumes are composed of the intense purity of flower distillations, dark-tree resins, bright, fresh herbs and ripe fruit extractions. I like their guaiac perfume for meditation and relaxation.

Save: Code OBL saves 20% site wide

Strange invisible perfume

Strange Invisible

I tried five Strange Invisible perfume bestsellers and loved most of them! Many of the scents smell like an actual garden while others are for the advanced nose or lean masculine.

Created by botanical perfumer Alexandra Bahaloutis, Strange Invisible creates 100% natural, botanical, and hydrodistilled fragrances from biodynamic, wild-crafted, and certified organic plants. Strange Invisible never uses synthetic aromas, perfume flavorings, or isolates and all raw materials are sourced or made by their master distiller.

If you’re in Southern California, you can experience the perfumes in person at their cute little Venice store in Venice Beach, CA.

One seed perfume

One Seed Perfumes

One Seed Perfumes makes 100% natural perfumes that are at least 80% organic and made with pure, botanical and cruelty free ingredients. I tested the entire line of One Seed Perfumes and love their vanilla focused scents like Solitude and Seeker and their gourmand scents like Bohemia.

Their award-winning line of fragrances have complex scent profiles and you can can even decide which one you like based on what mainstream perfume you usually enjoy like Chanel or Estée Lauder.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Aren’t Natural Perfumes Long Lasting?

non toxic perfume leahlaniOne of the most common complaints with clean perfumes is they don’t LAST. Natural perfumes simply don’t have the same performance as their mainstream counterparts, because they don’t contain lab-engineered ingredients that artificially extend their wear.

Conventional fragrance contain a ton of chemical additives that increase the longevity of a fragrance, most commonly hormone-disrupting phthalates. Their potential health risks are what spurred the likes of Hollywood A-lister Michelle Pfeiffer to forgo fine fragrances entirely and create Henry Rose. Master botanical perfumer Charna Ethier adds,

Natural essences are super expensive, so I think some of the issue with longevity or potency with naperfumes occurs when perfumers don’t formulate their fragrances with enough essence.

Mainstream perfumes cost about $3.00 to make and that includes the bottle and the box! Whereas every drop of real rose oil costs $1! My profit margin is dramatically lower as it costs me much more to create my fragrances.

If you’re choosing a clean perfume for your health, then performance is something you’ll need to be willing to compromise. In my experience with clean fragrances, most will last a few hours and some will even last up to 5-7 hours as they gradually subside. Even among clean perfumes that contain synthetics, there are some brands that last longer than others.

For example, By Rosie Jane and Ellis Brooklyn have somewhat less longevity than other brands like Phlur and Floral Street. Clean perfumes that have more synthetics in their formula will have better performance. Natural perfumes are meant to be re-applied, which is why perfume oils are a great option if you want your fragrance to last all day and into the night. I recommend spritzing at least 4-5 times for clean perfumes to last at least 3-4 hours.

Another thing to note is that a perfume’s longevity is also affected by the temperature and the level of moisture in your skin. Pro tip: Make sure to moisturize your skin before applying perfume to help it last longer. Fragrances also travel better in the heat during warmer months.

You might also notice natural perfumes smell different on your friend than yourself. Mainstream perfumes smell the same on every person but natural perfumes are affected by an individual’s unique body chemistry and can smell different from person to person.

Oil vs Spray: Which Should You Pick?

By Rosie Jane fragranceIf you’re wondering whether to purchase a clean perfume oil or perfume spray, Charna breaks down the pros and cons of each.

Oil based perfumes should last longer on the skin because oil evaporates off the skin at a slower rate than alcohol. That being said, oil based perfumes have very little sillage or scent projection.

Oil perfumes are very close to the skin and are a good choice for someone who likes a subtle scent. Someone would have to lean in very close to smell a natural oil based perfume on your skin.

Alcohol based fragrances have much more “scent throw” than oil based fragrances. It’s very hard for natural perfumes to rival the potency of perfumes made with petrochemicals and aroma chemicals. Natural essences are softer and dissipate faster than chemicals.

That being said, one of my claims to fame as a botanical perfumer is creating long lasting more potent fragrances. I achieve this through creating most of my fragrances at an eau de

Non Toxic Perfumes at Sephora (2024 List)

Sephora carries a wide range of clean perfume brands, though most of these brands do mix in synthetics.

My Fave Non-Toxic Perfumes

Here are my absolute favorite scents that I’m personally obsessed with. Keep in mind this is just my own personal taste. And now that the colder months are just around the corner check out the best natural winter perfumes here.

Heretic parfum Dirty Hinoki

Dirty Hinoki by Heretic Parfum

With Dirty Hinoki by Heretic Parfum, I get both worlds of masculine and feminine in one bottle. The opening of Dirty Hinoki is a juicy burst of fruit which fades to reveal woodsy notes with a caramel sweetness. Depending on the day and the weather, I sometimes get a stronger woodsy scent and sometimes a stronger sweet scent. Beautifully complex, the dry down seems to reveal a completely different perfume, one that’s highly feminine and sweet. This is my favorite woodsy perfume hands down.

Sephora Sale: Save 30% at Sephora

Sana Jardin paris

Incense Water by Sana Jardin Paris

Incense Water by Sana Jardin is one of my favorite rose perfumes! This Sana Jardin Paris perfume is a sweet, floral with some patchouli. In my clean fragrance journey, Incense Water comes closest to my former favorite fragrance by Paco Rabanne.

By Rosie Jane lake

Lake by Rosie Jane

I’m a sucker for vanilla and so far, out of all the vanilla-y clean fragrances I’ve tried, I preferred Lake By Rosie Jane. Sultry with a hint of tartness, romantic and so easy to wear, I can see myself using Lake everyday. The other clean vanilla perfumes I like are Moodeux Worthy and the organic One Seed Solitude, which has strong earthy top notes but dries down to a beautiful earthy vanilla.

wit west natural perfume jasmine

Wit & West Jasmine Bae Saranae

This is a neroli and jasmine scent that’s utterly feminine with a unique twist. Asian Mint works so well with jasmine and orange blossom, while creamy sandalwood and Tonka Bean base brings the brighter notes down. It’s a perfectly balanced floral that’s not too sharp nor too sweet. A whiff of this makes me feel like I’m in an actual garden smelling the real flower, and I forget I’ve just sprayed a liquid bottle. I don’t get only the flower, but also the stem, roots, and bits of dirt clinging on

Providence perfume co

Sweet Jasmine Brown by Providence Perfume Co (Oil)

Another natural fragrance that stood out to me right away was Sweet Jasmine Brown. Jasmine is the dominant scent of this perfume oil but you also get gourmand notes of vanilla, tonka and cocoa nib along with Musk ambrette, pink pepper and ylang ylang to add depth. It’s like a cup of jasmine tea with the sweetness and allure of burnt sugar.

Floral street perfume

Arizona Bloom by Floral Street

Floral Street, as you can guess by its name, is all about florals. Some of their perfumes smelled too synthetic to me, especially Chypre Sublime, but I was taken by Arizona Bloom.

Providence perfume co

Rose 802 by Providence Perfume Co (Oil)

I immediately fell in love with this bright, punchy and sweet rose. Providence Perfume Co also has a Rose Bohème perfume spray, but I found it to be more of an earthy, subdued rose that didn’t shine as much as Rose 802 did for me. 

Leahlani perfume oil

Pua Lei by Leahlani (Oil / Summer)

Leahlani Pua Lei I has a strong scent memory that transports me to Hawaii and all the amazing memories I made there. While Leahlani has other Hawaii-inspired perfumes, Pua Lei transports in a way that their other perfumes don’t.

Providence perfume co

Love In A Mist by Providence Perfume Co

For an intoxicatingly sweet and feminine floral scent, Love-in-a-mist is an incredible perfume made of a rare distillation of nigella damascene, a flower called Love In A Mist. It also has notes of mimosa, sandalwood and sweet clover.

 

Best Vanilla Perfumes

I’m recommending my top picks for a couple popular scent categories that I think anyone could enjoy! My top four recommendations for someone looking for a clean vanilla perfume are:

  • Lake By Rosie Jane: So easy & lovely to wear by anybody
  • The 7 Virtues Vanilla Woods: Also a crowd pleaser that you can’t go wrong with
  • Floral Street Wild Vanilla Orchid

Best Rose Perfumes

My top picks I would recommend someone looking for a clean rose perfume are:

  • Rosie By Rosie Jane (very light skin scent)
  • Sana Jardin Incense Water
  • Providence Perfume Co Rose 802 (perfume oil) – organic

Best Woodsy Perfumes

  • Heretic Parfum Dirty Hinoki
  • Maison Louis Marie Bois De Balincourt

Best Floral Perfumes

These are some Organic Floral Perfumes that I personally love that I haven’t already mentioned in the other scent categories above:

  • Providence Perfume Co Sweet Jasmine Brown
  • Neshama Perfumes Souls On Fire (Osmanthus Spicy Floral)
  • Henry Rose Flora Carnivora: warm/creamy/sensual white floral (synthetics)

BEST GOURMAND DESSERT PERFUMES (synthetics)

  • Day Three Fragrances La Tacita De Cafe (coffee)
  • Day Three Fragrances Midnight Whisper
  • La Fleur by Livvy A Parisian Affair

BEST CLEAN SUMMER PERFUMES

My top picks and recommendations that I’m obsessed with for summer if you’re looking for a clean summer fragrance:

  • Ellis Brooklyn Salt: sensual tropical
  • Floral Street Arizona Bloom: coconut floral tropical scent
  • By Rosie Jane Madie: Note that is is a sunscreen scent, also smells of ocean and salty skin after a long day at the beach

heretic natural perfume

Basic Perfume Terms

I’m covering just a handful of the most basic perfume terms in this guide:

  • Projection: How far away from the wearer someone else would be able to smell the fragrance.
  • Sillage: How much of a trail of scent is left behind the wearer.
  • Performance: How long lasting a perfume is
  • Top notes: First notes that one smells after applying a fragrance.
  • Middle notes: Also known has heart notes, these are primary notes that define the way a scent is described and categorized.
  • Base notes: The heaviest, longest-lasting notes in a fragrance, that reveal themselves after the heart notes have evaporated. Base notes are present during the middle phase of a perfume, providing depth to the perfume, but once the heart notes have disappeared, the base notes take on a character of their own.
  • Dry down: The final scent of a fragrance after the note and middle notes have evaporated.
  • Gourmand: A scent that evokes food, usually a dessert. Has notes of vanilla, chocolate, fruit, caramel, and more.
  • Skin scent: A scent with minimal projection (i.e., one that can only be detected when extremely close to the wearer
  • Eau de Cologne: least concentrated style of fragrance, with a perfume oil to alcohol ratio of only 2-5%
  • Eau de Parfum: fragrance with a 10-15% concentration of perfume oil to alcohol
  • Eau de Toilette: fragrance with a 5-10% concentration of perfume oil to alcohol

18 responses to “26 Best Non-Toxic Perfumes (Guide + Tips from a Top Natural Perfumer)”

  1. Cindy Torres Avatar

    This was such an amazing learning experience. A great blog read! Thank you!!!

    1. Andrea Avatar
      Andrea

      Thanks so much for reading!!

  2.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    Really well researched article, thank you!

    1. Andrea Avatar
      Andrea

      Thank you so much!?

  3. Ruth Vou Nyam Avatar
    Ruth Vou Nyam

    Awesome article, and please i would love to enroll in a diploma for production of 100% organic perfume.
    Please how do I go about it?

  4. Ruth Vou Nyam Avatar
    Ruth Vou Nyam

    Great, how can one get access to learn production of perfume

    1. Andrea Avatar
      Andrea

      Hi! Sorry I don’t know about producing perfume – I only test other people’s creations.

  5. T.Y. Avatar
    T.Y.

    I know of two natural perfumery programs. They are by Mandy Aftel and Ayala Moriel.
    Also, there is an online course by The Herbal Academy. There is The Institute of Art and Olfaction in LA, California where one can learn perfumery.

  6. Gabriela Avatar
    Gabriela

    Hello,

    This a very interesting and helpful article. Do you by any chance know Olympea from Paco Rabanne? And if yes, would you happen to know a clean perfume that comes close to the smell of that one?

    Thanks a lot,

    Gabriela

    1. Andrea Avatar
      Andrea

      Hi Gabriela,
      Sorry! I will definitely make a note to find Olympea in a department store next time, so I can smell it and see if I know any similar dupes! Paco Rabanne’s Black XS was actually my all-time favorite back in the day and nothing natural I’ve tried comes close to it. – Andrea

  7. Lori Avatar
    Lori

    Do you know the best clean perfumes that smell or dry down to musk? Thanks!

    1. Andrea Avatar
      Andrea

      Hi Lori! Definitely, I suggest checking out Riddle Oil in their scent called Original!

  8. Lori Avatar
    Lori

    Thank you will check it out!

    1. Andrea Avatar
      Andrea

      My pleasure! If you do, would love to know what you think of it!

  9. Heather Avatar
    Heather

    Thank you!!! I left the perfume-wearing world 16 years ago, when I decided to start trying for baby #2, after learning about how much fragrance damages chromosomes. Now I have young adult and teenage daughters that want to smell nice, but I don’t want them to sacrifice their health. This was a wonderfully informative article and I appreciate your time and thoughtfulness in all aspects of your approach and information. This was hands down the best article I’ve ever read on the subject.

    1. Andrea Avatar

      Thank you so much Heather you made my week! I so appreciate the kind words and am thrilled you found it helpful💚

  10. Jalynn Avatar
    Jalynn

    Hi Heather, loved your article. I’m looking for a clean version of Burberry Women or a total long-shot: Truth by Calvin Klein. Any thoughts or suggestions? I don’t live near a place to sample some of these and it’s so expensive to buy/try with a just a description.

    1. Andrea Avatar

      Hi Jalynn, I wish I knew one for Burberry but you are the first to ask about it! One brand that does clean dupes of designer fragrances is ALT Fragrance, but even there I couldn’t find one for Burberry. For Truth by Calvin Klein, you might have some luck with Clean Collective’s or Clean Reserve’s fragrances (sister brands). Their Rain scent might be similar, but they do have affordable sample sets available on amazon!

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