One thing we can all do to ensure health is to avoid products with added artificial fragrances or flavours. This isn’t as easy as it sounds. They’re found in the most unexpected products (vitamins, prescription drugs, lip balm, perfume, toothpaste, laundry detergent — the list goes on and on).

Most fragrance oils used to scent candles, soaps and myriad other products are very hazardous to your health. In The Hazards of Scents, Klaus Ferlow says: “Fragrance oils are combinations of synthetically manufactured chemicals designed to “mimic” the aroma of natural materials. Far from “natural”, 95% of the chemicals found in these oils are synthetic compounds derived from petroleum, and include chemicals such as benzene derivatives, aldehydes, and others capable causing cancer, birth defects, central nervous system disorders (CNS) and allergic reactions. Today, fragrances are marketed to an unsuspecting public who think that these scents are “natural.” Even unscented and fragrance-free products can contain masking scents to “mask” the smell of other ingredients.”

For eye-opening information, read Enviroblog’s 3,163 ingredients hide behind the word “fragrance”. Enviroblog is written by the Environmental Working Group, an organization well worth suppporting.

Flavours are the same. If it says “flavour (or flavor)”, it’s not real, not natural, not good for your health, and certainly not sustainable.

I can’t leave this subject without mentioning Smallbones, of course. Artificial ingredients in everything is the main reason I began making and selling basic products for our bodies and our homes. If you like to wear perfume, then choose one that is natural. The perfumes I  make for Smallbones are 100% natural — NO toxic, artificial ingredients — and scented with pure essential oils. It’s unlikely that anybody would be allergic to them, but a few people are allergic to certain essential oils, so it’s always best to be careful. Only jojoba oil and different essential oils make up the four blends of Smallbones perfumes (Starry Nights, Summertime-my winter favourite, Spring Affair, and Romance). Smallbones room sprays are also 100% natural, as is every Smallbones product.

(FYI: Essential oils used in so-called “aromatherapy candles” have no value at all. Essential oils lose their efficacy when heated and should be used only in cool mist diffusers or added to body products after cooling.)

Bit by bit and step by step, we can each make a positive impact on our health and the planet’s health.