How to Swap Synthetic Fragrance for Essential Oils

If you love a good scent but you've started reading labels and gotten uneasy about what's in them, this one's for you.

Most people find fragrance the same way. You pick up a bottle, turn it over, and see "fragrance" sitting there as a single word near the bottom of the list. That one word is allowed to stand in for a blend of dozens of separate ingredients, none of which have to be disclosed, because the formula counts as a trade secret.

You don't have to be alarmed about that to find it annoying. You're reading the label specifically so you know what's in it, and that word is the one place the label stops telling you.

You don't have to go unscented

This is the part people get wrong about going low-tox. Fragrance-free is one option, but it isn't the only one.

Essential oils give you the same thing you actually wanted from fragrance, which is for your lotion to smell like something. They just come from a plant you can name, and they show up on the ingredient list by that name.

Something I hear from customers pretty regularly: after a few months off synthetic fragrance, going back feels like a lot. The scented aisle at the store starts to seem overwhelming. I don't think that's your body detecting anything. I think you just get used to quieter smells and loud ones stop being pleasant.

Easy places to start

You don't have to redo your whole house. Pick the thing you use every day.

Lotion. Our Body Lotion comes in Lemon Lavender, Wild Rose and Orange Grove, all scented with essential oils only. It's the easiest swap because you use it constantly and you'll notice the difference immediately.

Deodorant. Natural Deodorant for Sensitive Skin, no aluminum, no baking soda, no synthetic fragrance. If you've tried natural deodorant before and it let you down, read the reviews on this one before you write the whole category off.

Bar soap. Cedarwood + Patchouli if you like something warm and grounding, or Eucalyptus + Tea Tree if you want your shower to wake you up. The full bar soap collection is worth a scroll.

Moisturizer. Renew Tallow Cream if you want something richer than lotion. Grass-fed tallow and organic frankincense, and a small jar lasts a long time because it goes on thin.

Where it fits in a normal day

If you want a picture of what this looks like in practice rather than a shopping list:

Morning, a bar soap in the shower that smells like something you chose on purpose. Midday, deodorant that isn't competing with anything else you're wearing. Evening, lotion or tallow cream on damp skin before bed.

That's three swaps. None of them require a routine you don't already have.

One honest note

Essential oils are not automatically gentle just because they're natural. Some are irritating on skin, some aren't right during pregnancy, and a few of ours use "hot" oils like cinnamon that need more care. Patch test anything new, and if you have a specific reason to be cautious, look up the individual oil rather than trusting a blanket claim from anybody, including me.

Every product we make lists every ingredient, in order, with the essential oils named. That's the whole point.