Fragrance is one of the most toxic and disruptive ingredients in our personal care products, which is why I find it strange that so many “clean” beauty brands are still using it!? I checked the labels of 10 of the most popular cleaner brands, and would you believe ALL 10 still add synthetic fragrance to their formulas!? If you have ever bought a product because it said “clean” or “non-toxic” but never flipped it over to actually read the back, then this one is for you! Because here is the truth almost no one tells you… “clean” is not a regulated word, and most clean beauty retailers set the bar wayyy lower than you think. Let me break down exactly what is going on, what to watch for, and why I built the Organic Bunny to a standard most “clean” stores do not come close to.

Why I Avoid Fragrance

“Fragrance” or “Parfum” is a single word that can legally hide thousands of undisclosed chemicals. Brands do not have to tell you a single one, because fragrance is protected as a “trade secret.” What is often hiding in there? Phthalates. They are hormone disruptors linked to fertility issues, thyroid problems, and metabolism, and they now show up in over 95% of people tested. On most perfumes, fragrance is the SECOND ingredient on the list.

So when a brand builds its whole image around being “clean” and still drops synthetic fragrance into the formula, that is the exact gap I look for. Between who they say they are and who they actually are! The front of the bottle says one thing yet the back says another… This is what we like to call greenwashing.

What Is Greenwashing?

Greenwashing is when a brand uses words like “clean,” “natural,” “green,” or “non-toxic” to make a product LOOK safe, without actually being held to any real standard. Some brands will also add this to their packaging in the form of green leaves or other natural elements that make you look at it and think: clean! But, sadly, “clean” has no legal definition. “Natural” also has no legal definition, which means that a brand can put those words on the front of the bottle while synthetic fragrance, silicones, and petroleum-based ingredients sit right inside. No one is checking. No one is stopping them. Except for me, of course 😉

You would think a store built around “clean beauty” would ban questionable products, but most do not.  Here are things to look out for, even when shopping at your favorite clean retailer!

Ingredients to Watch For

Flip your bottles over, here are the big ones I want you scanning for:

Fragrance / Parfum- The number one thing hiding in “clean” products. This is a single word that can legally hide hundreds to thousands of undisclosed chemicals, including phthalates, which are hormone disruptors linked to fertility issues and are now detected in over 95% of people tested. Brands don’t have to tell you a single one, because it’s protected as a “trade secret.”

Phenoxyethanol– A synthetic preservative the FDA warned in 2008 could depress a baby’s central nervous system if ingested from a nipple cream, is a known skin irritant and allergen.

Lake dyes– Are synthetic colorants, often petroleum-derived, that can carry trace heavy metal impurities like lead and arsenic left over from manufacturing, which is why the FDA legally limits heavy metals in them. They’re added purely for color, meaning you’re taking on a petroleum-based, potentially contaminated ingredient for zero skin benefit.

Silicones– Anything ending in -cone, -siloxane, -silylate, or -silsesquioxane, form a plastic-like seal over your skin that can trap buildup and bacteria underneath.

PEGs (polyethylene glycols) are processed with ethylene oxide, a known human carcinogen, which can leave behind contaminants like 1,4-dioxane, a probable carcinogen the FDA has flagged in personal care products. The contamination is the real risk, meaning even a “safe” PEG can carry residue you never agreed to.
[Defensible: the carcinogen is the manufacturing contaminant, not the PEG molecule itself. Keep it framed as contamination.]

Parabens– Are synthetic preservatives that mimic estrogen in the body and have been detected in breast tumor tissue. That detection doesn’t prove they cause cancer, but it’s exactly why the EU has banned several parabens and restricts the rest.

Petroleum-derived ingredients– Can be contaminated with PAHs, which are classified as carcinogenic, unless they’re fully refined, and the label never tells you which yours is. You’re trusting a byproduct of crude oil refining to be clean, with no way to verify it.

Plastics and acrylates– Are exactly what they sound like, plastic added for texture and film that doesn’t break down. They wash into waterways and are now being found in human blood, placentas, and breast milk.

The label never lies, even when the marketing does. So flip it over every time and be sure! Additionally, my online shop is a great way to avoid the bad guys, so be sure to give my site a browse next time you’re in need of some new personal care products! Shop Organic Bunny faves here.