 If you are looking for a perfume that is environmentally-friendly, EnviroCitizen.org has found that the best thing you can do is make your own. Perfumes are often based on essential oils, though the mixtures and additives used are kept secret by companies. Essential oils not only smell good, but they can also be therapeutic. Some are powerful enough to burn skin if undiluted, so pay attention to measurements.
Glass containers are best because the oils won't absorb chemicals as they sometimes do with plastic containers. Also, the glass ones are reusable if you want to change your scent. Be aware that organic and responsibly harvested oils can be expensive, but well worth the price! Base oils range from basic olive oil to specialty vegetable and fruit oils. Almond oil is light, sweet and works well for most skin-types. Coconut oil is rich, commonly used as a moisturizer and in cosmetics. Grapeseed oil is non-oily and is one of the lightest and best oils available. It is odorless, and perfect for acne-prone skin.
Rose water is obviously not oil, but the distilled water of roses works great as a base, too. Be sure to get 100% pure rose water, as even natural food stores often carry brands with synthetics and preservatives in them. This smells and tastes lovely, and has light cleaning properties.
Once you select your base oil, check out your local natural food store, or a store with an organic food section. There typically is a display of several essential oils in small jars. To get a whiff of the scent, try smelling the removed lid and not the bottle itself. If you want to mix more than one scent together, take both lids and hold them under your nose together for a sense of their combined scent. For every tablespoon of base oil, you'll only want to add about five drops of essential oil so it doesn't irritate skin.
One rule of thumb states that the fewer ingredients, the more pure the product when you are shopping for oils. Products with fewer ingredients are also less likely to contain harmful preservatives and chemicals. Wild-Crafted is a term often applied to more expensive oils. It means that the herbs were harvested from the wild. Some prefer these products because the ingredients have not been mass-produced or genetically modified. Others avoid these products because many popular herbs, such as Golden Seal, are now endangered species due to over-harvesting.
EnviroCitizen.org wants to remind you that another aspect of going green with perfumes is to consider the amount of fossil fuels used to package, produce and ship the perfume you select. Packaging and transportation can cause more harm to our environment through the production of plastics and single use containers, so make sure even when you purchase green products that you choose carefully.
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