The Best NonToxic Perfume

I stopped wearing perfume years ago. Without realizing the reason, my body started to tell me it didn’t like it – itchy throat, watery eyes, and headaches upon occasion. Now that I’ve tried Beautycounter’s fragrances – the first clean and fully transparent eau de parfum, I understand that I need nontoxic perfumes to prevent all those reactions.

Ok. I know that seems over the top, but for me (and many others I know), it’s the absolute truth.

Nontoxic Perfume

When I stopped wearing perfume, I wasn’t interested in clean beauty. I didn’t understand the movement. I’m not even sure I knew there was a “movement.”

Not long after I stopped wearing my perfumes, I started noticing scents in some of the makeup I was wearing doing. Beautiful Chanel and Dior lip colors, mascaras, and lipsticks (yes, I wore lipsticks once upon a time), all had a scent that smelled nice, but my scratchy throat would tell me otherwise.

Now that I’m much more well versed in clean beauty – I understand that it’s not clean cut (meaning there’s no single definition of clean) and that “clean” is a bit interpretive.

For example, many natural items (e.g. lavender, clove oil, rosemary) are perfectly safe and ‘good’ for you, but some people are just allergic. It’s like a food sensitivity, but your body treats it as an allergen. The thing is, when it comes to cosmetics and skincare, companies aren’t required to tell you ALL of the ingredients.

If you’ve ever seen “fragrance,” “perfume,” or “parfum” on the ingredient list – that’s where a lot of stuff is hidden. Scent is considered proprietary (as in a trade secret – an owned, allowed secret), so companies aren’t required to share it. If you have an allergy or sensitivity to an ingredient they use (natural, synthetic, or otherwise), you might not necessarily know it’s in the ingredient list because of that allowed secret.

So, here’s the fascinating thing. Though something might be a nontoxic perfume, if every ingredient isn’t shared, there’s still a sense of secrecy – and that’s no good.

nontoxic perfume brands

There are nontoxic perfumes available, however…

• Skylar
• Clean Reserve
• Henry Rose
• Phlur
• Beautycounter (launching March 26, 2024)

All five of these brands have sustainable ingredient sourcing and are Leaping Bunny certified. Henry Rose and Beautycounter are the only two that are EWG certified. And Beautycounter is the only that has individually screened every single ingredient for allergens and toxicity.

Beautycounter Perfume Review

Ok. So, you all know I’m obsessed with Beautycounter products. The brand is VERY clean, very effective, and just lovely to use. They’ve been working on creating a perfume line for over 10 years and they’re finally launching it – TODAY!!!

Because I work with Beautycounter, I was lucky enough to be able to try all these before they went on sale to the public

I was hesitant to try the new perfumes because of my past, BUT I’m now giving them a go and LOVE them.

At first, I literally just smelled them all to see if my body reacted in any of its usual ways, and it didn’t. So then, I put a small dab on each side of my neck (the Hyper Rose rollerball) to see how I’d feel and also to see if my husband or mom complained about the scent – and they didn’t.

I’ve now used a few scents that I like the most all with no issues from my body, no issues from those around me, and I’m loving the scents more and more as I get used to wearing perfume again!

Beautycounter Perfume Scents

Beautycounter’s new nontoxic perfume line is available in 5 scents. Below are the official notes of each scent as well as my quick take on them. Scent is such a personal thing, I know, but I hope some real life examples would help.

MILES AWAY – Woody Green – Drop into the deep wild. Zesty notes of lemon and Italian bergamot bring balance to a warm and woody blend of sandalwood, cedarwood, and juniper berry, infused with fresh jasmine and calming chamomile.

Luci’s Take: more fruity scent and lighter. I didn’t like this one at first but it’s really growing on me!

SUN SPILL – Citrus Floral – Bask in summer’s golden glow. Bright, uplifting notes of grapefruit and sweet neroli shine through a lush blend of rich jasmine, velvety rose, and spicy coriander, paired with grassy vetiver for a freshly cut finish.

Luci’s Take: A more traditional perfume scent – lighter than the other perfume-y scents (Second Skin and Hyper Rose)

HYPER ROSE – Soft Floral – Sultry and sophisticated. Juicy apple blossom, sweet gardenia, and tangy cassis cut through a blooming, full-bodied bouquet of Turkish rose, wrapped in cashmere wood for a warm and sultry softness.

Luci’s Take: This one is a light rose. It’s not heavy but it is more like a perfume than a room scent or something. It’s a soft rose and I really love it – surprised myself with that one.

SECOND SKIN – Floral Amber – Quiet luxury, wrapped in warmth. Layers of sweet citrus peek through a gauzy and elegant blend of white jasmine, silky vanilla crème, and dewy, dainty muguet infused with comforting notes of buttery-soft sandalwood.

Luci’s Take: This has the most traditional perfume smell to me and I absolutely love it. I describe it as medium-bodied. 

PACIFIC DREAMS – Fresh Citrus Aquatic – Dip into sunlit waves. Salty and invigorating with sparkling citrus and grounding cedarwood. A sparkling blend of lemon and bergamot bring a warm and sunny sweetness to the salty aromas of marine accord elevated by fresh Egyptian jasmine, crisp musk, and grounding cedarwood.

Luci’s Take: This scent is more citrusy and more beachy. It’s probably my least favorite, but I have many clients who’ve received a sample from me and it’s the one they like most – so, again, it’s subjective.

Beautycounter Samples – Nontoxic Perfume

Scent is so personal, but I have sample cards to share of these five Beautycounter nontoxic perfume samples. Feel free to email me here with your 2 scents of choice as well as a mailing address and I’ll send you the samples to try IRL – for yourself! You can also take this quiz to help decide.

Clean Beauty

Since clean beauty is an important part of sustainable living (what we wash down the drain matters as much as what we put on our skin), be sure to check out these other clean beauty roundups:

Non Toxic Makeup Brands
Clean Beauty at Nordstrom
Clean Beauty at Sephora
Clean Beauty at Target
Clean Beauty at Walmart
Clean Beauty at ULTA
Best Beautycounter Products

Common questions include do shampoo bars really work and how do you use them? What natural deodorant actually works? Are there refillable deodorant options? What’s the best double edge razor blades (the best safety razors and how to use them properly). And the best makeup brush cleaner (on the cheap and easy)!

There are also great clean skin & hair care products for men!

And you’ll want to check out these wonderful natural bar soaps as well as body tools for smooth skin all over yourself!