Perfume allergies are real, people! And I'm not just talking about when I claim I'm like literally allergic to people who wear too much Britney Spears Fantasy or the guy who smothers himself in Old Spice at the gym. It turns out that, unlike me, some people suffer from actual sensitivity to synthetic perfumes. I'm talking about the burning skin, rash and sneezing kind of allergy”think all the symptoms of hay fever except instead of nature, you're being assaulted by the contents of a little perfume bottle.
The most common form of perfume sensitivity is contact dermatitis. After sifting through the majority of scholarly articles written on perfume sensitivity (you can thank me for those four hours of my life later), I've discovered that, despite its scary name, contact dermatitis is basically just an inflammatory skin disease characterized by redness and swelling. A lot of the time this reaction comes from the alcohol in synthetic fragrances and other toxic chemicals used to achieve the perfect aux de Britney vanilla.
But its 2016, which means that there are women in Justin Trudeau's cabinet, phones that have cameras in FRONT AND BACK, and if you're even the least bit allergic to something, there is always a natural alternative. Brands like LUSH, Saje Wellness and Ren have worked hard to eliminate the synthetic contents of perfumes that cause the most irritation. Sorry not sorry if I just took away your excuse to smell bad.
REN Moroccan Rose Gold Glow Perfect Dry Oil ($74)
Not only does this natural dry oil smell like roses, it will leave your skin feeling smooth AF. Trust me, I’m pretty much banned from my local Sephora because I am known to stop by for no reason other than to smother my body in this stuff. REN products are formulated using the latest high tech plant and mineral actives that are clinically tested and free from chemical irritants.
