Safe Scents For The Season
The Oily Home Companion
Pumpkin Spice, Cinnamon Sticks, Apple Cider, Sweater Weather...Fall is in the air, can you feel it?
Not only are those things listed above some of the delicious flavors and special things about the Autumn season, they’re also scents and fragrances that many line out the door for at our favorite stores.
The crazy thing is- those candles and air fresheners may remind us of feeling cozy and Friday night football back in our day but they are actually harming us. Second hand smoke isn’t just something to be afraid of with cigarettes- our home environments are put in danger with each artificial fragrance we bring inside.
What we’re breathing inside our homes is just as important if not more than outside- because we spend most of our times and prized moments with our children, family and pets inside those four walls.
Think about these statements from the International Boarding & Pet Services Association:
“Studies show that children can have as much as 30 times greater exposure to indoor pollutants than adults due to their smaller size and greater activity level. Now, consider these facts:
Most pets are even smaller than kids
They tend to spend a lot of time near the floor where all indoor air pollutants eventually wind up
They groom themselves and each other, which means they’re ingesting the pollutant particles that have accumulated on their fur and in the environment
Many pets spend up to 100 percent of their time indoors, and are living with very high levels of airborne toxins”
Maybe you’re thinking: “I don’t have air pollutants in my house”. Recheck those labels on your fall favorite candles, shampoos, cleaners, make-up, and air fresheners. Fragrance is just a word masking harmful synthetic ingredients. In an issue of Pet Care Pro Quarterly, they explain,
“That single word – ‘fragrance’ – can represent thousands of different chemicals that have been combined to create a synthetic replica of a natural smell. The FDA’s ‘fragrance loophole’ in the United States exempts companies from listing all of the chemicals that go into their ‘fragrance’. The exemption was originally created in 1966 to help big perfume companies protect their proprietary formulas from the competition but, now, is used to conceal thousands of chemicals in everyday products.”
So What’s the Big Deal?
The chemicals found in all of these everyday household products have been known to poorly affect respiratory health, irritate skin, set off allergies and asthma, and are known carcinogens. A New Jersey Urgent Care Provider informs us about the specific harmful ingredients,
“Many mass-produced candles on the market are made with paraffin wax, a petroleum byproduct; many also use synthetic fragrances and dyes. When burned, they release toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air (including acetone, benzene and toluene), that not only trigger indoor allergies and asthma but are also known carcinogens.”
“Organic” and “Natural”
Be careful what brands you trust. Just because a label uses the claims “green”, “non-toxic”, “organic”, “all-natural”, even “essential oils” doesn’t mean they’re the real deal. Always research the company where you’re buying essential oils from. Do they own their own farms? Do they control their entire process from the field- to sealing the bottle? Young Living has the best Seed to Seal policy, promising to go above and beyond industry standards- or they throw the bottle out. The late D. Gary Young, founder of Young Living, always said he never makes an oil for profit, but for a purpose.
Tests have shown that “emissions among a range of air fresheners—including those with claims of being “green,” “organic,” “non-toxic,” “all-natural,” or with “essential oils”—all air fresheners, regardless of claims, emitted potentially hazardous compounds. Emissions of carcinogenic hazardous air pollutants from “green” air fresheners were not significantly different, in types or concentrations, from the regular brands [40].” (Anne Steineman, Science Direct)
What’s the Alternative?
It’s not all gloom and doom after you throw out all the toxic smells and products in your house. We have a great solution for you! Diffusers are the best alternative to candles, plug-ins and fragrances. Let us tell you why.
They clean and actually refresh the air- not mask odors.
Diffusing Thieves Essential Oil has the ability to uplift moods, changing the atmosphere of any room the diffuser is placed.
Because of the way our brains work, smells have the ability to access memories and emotions. Diffusing essential oils are a simple way to take advantage of that amazing brain hack! Ultrasonic diffusers effectively separate and send essential oil molecules into the air- acting as a humidifier, atomizer, air-purifier and aromatherapy all-in-one!
Cost-effective. A diffuser is a one-time purchase versus candles and plug-ins that need to be purchased again and again. And when you’re using 100% pure Therapeutic grade essential oils, you only need a few drops each use.
Getting Started
Embrace your role as a consumer and start reading labels on all the products you buy. If you can’t pronounce it- don’t automatically trust it for you and your family. Start throwing out known toxic products and replace them with better alternatives. Our best advice is to get started with Young Living’s Premium Starter Kit- and get this, it comes with a diffuser!! If you’re interested in purchasing a Starter Kit or diffuser, message us- we’d love to talk with you!
Begin experimenting and creating your own diffuser blends! You don’t have to say goodbye to the beloved Pumpkin Spice. Try different combinations of these Fall aromas: Cinnamon Bark, Nutmeg, Clove, Orange, Thieves, and Ginger, just to name a few. You literally can’t go wrong with any combo. For more Fall Diffuser Blends, read our Cozy Up Your Home For Fall blog here.
Sources:
https://www.ibpsa.com/fragrance-stinks-health-risks-chemically-scented-products-pets-people/
https://www.emedicalurgentcare.com/e-medical-blog/october-2016/the-dangers-of-scented-candles-and-plug-ins-on-ind
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360132316304334