Indoor air can often be more polluted than the outdoors. Read more here about how to minimize toxins in your home. So, it’s important to know what exactly you are using to make your natural home fragrance. It would defeat the purpose if what we used to make the air smell nice actually filled it with toxins!
Stove Top Potpourri. [Or pot-pourri, if you will.]
This is so simple! Essentially, you place sliced fruit, seasoning, & herbs into a pot along with a few cups of water. Then, just allow the delicious, aromatic goodness to simmer on the stove top and add more water as it’s needed. Natural home fragrance can be easy!
Here are some of my favorite combinations:
🍊Orange slices + cranberries + cinnamon sticks + nutmeg + cloves = Merry Christmas!
🍎Apple slices + cinnamon sticks + nutmeg + lemon slices = Cozy Fall Feels!
🍋Lemon slices + rosemary + cinnamon sticks = Invigorating & Cleansing Vibes!
Essential Oils
Essential oils are concentrated plant extracts that retain the natural smell and flavor, or “essence,” of their source. They are another great option for natural home fragrance.
Essential oils can be diffused into the air and inhaling the aromas can stimulate areas of your limbic system, which is a part of your brain that plays a role in emotions, behaviors, sense of smell, and long-term memory.
Do your research and be sure to choose a high-quality oil as this market is highly under-regulated. Also take caution diffusing around children, babies, and pets as well as if you are pregnant.
Candles
Why You Should Switch to Safer Candles:
I used to be a toxic candle collector. I was obsessed. I’m talking 3 wick chunks of paraffin wax filled with phthalates and heavy metals in the wicks. Paraffin wax is a byproduct of mineral oil refinery. When it is burned, paraffin releases benzene and toluene which are also found in diesel fuel and are known carcinogens. And then there was the “natural fragrance oils.” That is so sketchy–the term ‘fragrance’ can actually be hiding 100s of chemicals that impact our hormonal balance. Oh and don’t forget about the wick which can often release heavy metals into the air as it’s burned. See Wellness Mama’s blog post for more info.
What To Look For When Buying Safer Candles:
- Soy or Beeswax. Soy is not great for ingesting and the jury is still out on its effects when we inhale it. It’s likely safer than paraffin. Beeswax is the best. Look for “100% Pure Beeswax.” Beeswax is a natural air purifier that releases negative ions into the air. These attach to positive ions which come from our electronics and carry dust and mildew. Try out these option: unscented beeswax candle or scented Solstice Naturals beeswax candle.
- Cotton Wick. Some wicks can have a metal core and release heavy metals when burned. Look for a 100% cotton wick.
We all want our homes to smell nice, but not at a cost to our health. Luckily, we have options for natural home fragrance. I hope you found these ideas helpful and were inspired to try some out!
XO,
Sam
