Once upon a time, back when hieroglyphs were scrawled upon the walls in Ancient Egypt, perfume was curated from crushed flowers and essential oils. By the time it had flourished on the shores of Europe in the 19^th century, scientists were already extracting the chemical compounds of scent and seeking ways to create synthetic versions that held potency for longer periods of time. These days, many perfumes are completely synthetic and hold thousands of chemicals and nothing natural. For those who want to trace the history of perfume right back and opt for more natural scents on the skin, these natural perfume alternatives can sweeten your life sans chemicals…

Essential Oils

While you may associate essential oils as being something you drop in the bath or breathe deep while on your yoga mat, they actually work wonders when it comes to a natural way to replace perfume. A small vial certainly goes a long way and costs a fraction of the price of perfume. There’s something so simple and graceful about choosing a signature scent to call your own – breathy bergamot, the lilt of lavender, or the earthy goodness of cedarwood. With zero harmful ingredients, this is one of the simplest alternatives to perfume.

Solid Bars

Solid perfume bars are another great alternative to the spritz. Often made with a jojoba or even almond oil base, you simply rub the bar over your wrist or neck, and let the sweet magic happen. Lots of natural beauty shops sell solid perfume bars and places like LUSH are known for opting for all-natural ingredients. We love the solid perfume like Karma which is crafted from patchouli, fresh Brazilian orange and pine for the perfect pick me up.

Orange Flower Water

Exactly what it says on the tin. Orange Flower Water is a bright burst of citrusy goodness and is quite literally made from orange blossom and distilled water. While it’s a product that is often found in the kitchen as it tends to be used in Moroccan cooking, when dabbed on it truly does make for a fragrant all-natural perfume for the skin.

A Perfume Organic

If you don’t want to miss out on the fun of spritzing yourself before stepping out then A Perfume Organic could be just the middle ground you need. This is still perfume, but not as you know it. The classy company operating out of Manhattan offer a healthy alternative to synthetic perfume by ensuring that all their small-batch creations are free from any chemical makeup and that every ingredient is double-checked and vouched for from PETA and the USDA. From wine rose to juicy greens with rare spices, A Perfume Organic is nothing short of evocative.

Rich Hippie

The California company of cool, Rich Hippie is all about making glorious organic perfumes that hark back to old-world techniques. This innovative company opts to use organic wine from the states most famous wine regions as the base for their beautiful creations. Then, of course, to build up the scent – it’s all-natural floral blooms and plants that are carefully selected and always free from preservatives. Organic farming, small-batch, spirits of wine, and mixes that cover everything from young romantic florals shot through with Moroccan dreams or rock star vibes made with rare Indonesian blooms.

Which floral fragrances are capturing your fancy? Share your thoughts in the comments.