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 withaward-winning botanical perfumer Charna Ethier, founder ofProvidence 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!
Table of Contents
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!
The 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.
There 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 usingsynthetics, 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.
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!”
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.
Sana Jardin
One of my favorite 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. Incense Water is such a sophisticated dewy rose perfume that reminds me of a rose garden after the rain. Jaipur Chant is my other favorite Sana Jardin scent and it’s a gorgeous white floral tuberose scent that’s creamy and delicate.
Sana Jardin is a socially conscious, luxury fragrance house whose vision is to use clean and sustainable perfume as a vehicle for social impact and the economic empowerment of women.
Use “ORGANICBEAUTYLOVER” to save 20% (excludes sample sets).
Price: $35 for 0.34 oz rollerball / $145 for 1.7 oz
Longevity 4/5
By Rosie Jane
By Rosie Jane is my top pick and recommendation if you love wearable and delicate feminine scents that aren’t overpowering. I’ve tried all their scents and find them soooo easy and light, perfect for those who don’t want overly synthetic smelling perfumes but still want something that performs close to conventional perfume. I also find them much more affordable compared to other similar clean perfume brands, which often retail for over $100.
Californian perfume brand By Rosie Janeoffers 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.
Price: $29 for 0.25 oz travel spray / $80 for 1.7 oz / $48 for 0.25 perfume oil
Longevity 4/5
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 that are more affordably priced compared to other similar quality clean perfume brands. Their bestseller Bois de Balincourt is seriously sooo good and a standout among woodsy fragrances in clean beauty. Check out what one of my readers says about all the Maison Louis Marie perfumes she tried here.
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.
Price: $65 for 0.50 oz perfume oil / $93 for 1.7 oz
Longevity 4/5
The 7 Virtues
This 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 darkly 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!
Price: $32 for 0.34 oz travel spray / $94 for 1.7 oz
Longevity 4/5
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!
NPhlur creates modern fine fragrances that are mindfully formulated, responsibly sourced and crafted by world-class perfumers. I find that Phlur performs closer to a conventional fragrance and has strong projection and longevity. I’m dying to try their Vanilla Skin Body Mist!
Price: $29 for 0.32 oz travel spray / $99 for 1.7 oz
Longevity 4/5
Ellis Brooklyn
I 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.
Price: $33 for 0.33 oz travel spray / $110 for 1.7 oz
Longevity 4/5
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.
Price: $35 for 0.34 oz travel spray / $120 for 1.7 oz
Longevity 4/5
Clean Beauty Collective
I find 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.
Price: $44 for 1 oz/ $74 for 2.11 oz
Longevity 4/5
Floral Street
Floral Street is a great clean perfume brand for floral 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. Arizona Street is just the perfect creamy floral coconut for everyday wear. I also like to layer this with my darker, woodsier perfumes during the winter. 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.
Price: $35 for 0.34 oz travel spray / $97 for 1.7 oz
Longevity 4/5
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 is absolutely huge and lasts foreeever. This is one of the most affordable clean perfumes I’ve tried. They contain skin-nourishing ingredients along with pure essential oils, nature identical oils, and botanically derived aromas.
Price: $16 for 0.32 oz travel spray / $48 for 1.7 oz
Longevity 4/5
ALT Fragrances
ALT makes super affordable clean, vegan and cruelty-free perfumes under $50 that are designed to closely mimic famous perfumes by Le Labo, Baccarat Rouge, Byredo, Kilian and more. I find them to be a happy medium between low-tox fragrances that aren’t as horrible for your health and conventional fragrances. If you’re looking for something that smells similar to the cult favorite luxury perfumes that line department store shelves but is waaaay more affordable and less toxic, ALT Fragrances is a good starting point. I tried ALT’s Duchess perfume (inspired by Delina) and find it to be a super feminine, flirty and bright floral fruity perfume. This feels young and girly to me without being too juvenile.
Use ORGANICBEAUTYLOVER for 10% off
Price: $29-$39 for 1 oz / $39-$69 for 3.3 oz
Longevity 4/5
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.
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 is a line of genderless and vegan fragrancesfounded & 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.
Abbott NYC (Best Cologne for Men!)
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.
Wit & West
I tried nine of and found their 100% natural perfumes and colognes to be soooo interesting and complex. This is one of my top three brands I would recommend starting with if you’re new to 100% natural perfumes with zero synthetics (the other two being Providence Perfume Co and Living Libations). Wit & West Perfumes is a Colorado-based 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.
Use OBL to save 20%
Price: $60 for 0.32 oz travel spray / $160 for 1.7 oz
Longevity 3.5/5
Providence Perfume Co
My top pick and recommendation for luxury seekers who love beautiful and feminine scents is Providence Perfume Co’s 100% natural perfumes. I recommend starting 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 Cofragrances 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.
Price: $45 for 0.13 oz travel spray / $200 for 1.7 oz
Longevity 3.5/5
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’ve gotten great feedback on my readers who have tried their 100% natural perfumes. I know there’s a lot of jasmine lovers out there, so I’d recommend their Jasmine Julep if that’s you! Automatically save 15% with my link.
Price: $82 for 1 oz travel spray / $115 for 1.7 oz
Longevity 3.5/5
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).
Price: $45 for 0.34 oz rollerball / $65 for 0.34 travel spray / $165 for 1.7 oz
Longevity 4/5
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.
Price: $30 for 0.34 oz rollerball
Longevity 3.5/5
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!
Price: $60 for 0.07 oz mini / $220 for 1 oz
Longevity 3.5/5
Leahlani
I’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 100% natural nd organic skincare brand that also makes a handful of natural perfumes inspired by the lush landscapes of Hawaii.
Use OBL to save 15%
Price: $49 for 0.5 oz rollerball perfume oil
Longevity 3.5/5
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.
Price: $70 for 0.5 oz rollerball / $210 for 1.7 oz
Longevity 3.5/5
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.
La Fleur by Livvy
I tested seven of La Fleur by Livvy’s 100% natural perfumes and find their scents to be deeply and authentically 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 arethemed 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.
Use “LAFLEURS” for 25% off
Price: $20 for 0.17 oz travel spray / $125 for 1.7 oz
Longevity 3.5/5
Why Aren’t Natural Perfumes Long Lasting?
One 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 alsoaffected 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 alsotravel 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?
If 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
Sephora carries a wide range of clean perfume brands, though most of these brands do mix in synthetics.
- Clean Reserve
- Skylar
- The 7 Virtues
- Dedcool
- Phlur
- By Rosie Jane
- Ellis Brooklyn
- Abbott
- Floral Street
- Heretic Parfum
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.
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
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.
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 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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 arare 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
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 areprimary notes that define the way a scent is described and categorized.
- Base notes: Theheaviest, 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
Andrea
Andrea is a clean beauty expert from Los Angeles, California with 10 years of experience in natural skincare and organic living. She writes for Organic Beauty Lover using her expertise to guide readers in choosing the best clean products. Andrea graduated from the University of Southern California in 2012 and has worked at multiple skincare companies, big and small. Connect with her @organicbeautylover.