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.
LAVANILA Fresh Vanilla Lemon Fragrance ($70)
If you’re looking for a natural perfume for sensitive skin, but you’re also too lazy to stray from Sephora, you’re in luck. LAVANILA is one of the only natural perfumes at Sephora. Their perfumes are rich in natural and organic ingredients and all of their products are free from harsh chemicals and clinically proven to be effective, safe and nourishing. 10 points to Sephora.
