Finding the Real Scent in everything…

The one thing that sometimes bums me out a bit about natural products, is that a LOT of them don’t have ‘a smell’. I have a friend who just always smells amazing – and not because of her perfume either. Just that clean, fresh, ‘her’ smell. I want a smell too. And my house, and my laundry. And while I know it’s all deceiving – I like to smell good, and have my linen smell good and have my living room smell good. The thing is, there is a reason honest, natural goodies often don’t have a smell. It’s because that fresh fresh fresh smell you’re smelling… it’s all lies. (Disclaimer: many natural products do have gorgeous smells, but many also tend to go fragrance free for babies and kids with sensitive skins – my current world). And since I’m a sweaty, smelly lactating being, I’m lusting even more so after ‘a smell’. 

It’s a tricky one isn’t it? Go with that all natural ‘person/house smell’ (healthy) or have it be dandelion fresh (a treat to your olfactory sensory neurons)… Meh. It’s tough.

Fooooortunately, WE DO HAVE OPTIONS! And exciting, creative ones at that. My aunt just came to SA from overseas and she bought me a SOL burner and some DoTerra essentail oils. She read my mind. I put it on. Daily. It is now my most favorite house addition. I want one for every room. Every room. (Meet the glutton in me). House smell – tick.

There is a real problem with synthetic scents, like a REAL problem. And most fake green ‘natural sources’ are not natural at all. Trust me. They hide under the terms parfum, perfume or fragrance. Synthetic scents are a chemical toxic super storm. Why do you think ‘fragrance free’ has become the latest trend in marketing know-how?

So, ESSENTIAL OILS. Oh essential oils. And not just essential oils, but ethically sourced, certified organic essential oils. Not only do they smell about a gazillion times better than their synthetic counterparts, but honestly, it’s like comparing pecking duck to gristle on the bone. And no one likes gristle on the bone.

Walk into any Whole Foods in North America and the choices are endless. Back here though, well, it can be tricky. But, yay me, I found SOiL Aromatherapy. They have an impressively large range of organic essential oils, as well as burners, wax melts, shea butter, carrier oils as well as body and hair care products as part of their Treemendous range.

My fave baby products, Pure Beginnings, use top notch essential oils in all their products (except the fragrance-free ranges obviously). Here you can replace your (and your kids, and your babies’) usual day-to-day toiletries with a natural and safe alternative – deodorant, hair care, toothpaste, body wash… you name it!

Right now, I’m burning a Spa Valous eco-friendly body candle. It is a massage candle. Have you heard of massage candles? Massage candles are a new variety of candle serving several simultaneous functions. While they light a room, provide a delightful ambiance, and scent the immediate area with subtle fragrance, massage candles also contain cosmetic ingredients that make them an excellent body moisturizer offering anti-aging benefits and massage oil alternative. Because of their unique ingredients, a true massage candle will melt at just over body temperature. Much like a hot bath, they are comfortably warm, but not hot. (source)

There are so so many amazing things you can do with essential oils, and so many options out there – from disinfecting wounds, to encouraging deep relaxation. I used essential oils in my birth, HypnoBirthing preparation as well as my post partum recovery (hello tea tree oil bath). They are little drops of intensely gorgeous smelling gold.

I dare you to dip your toes into the world of essential oils, as opposed to synthetic fragrances, just one item at a time… find your fit and go for it.