Could Fragrance Be Behind Your Unexplained Symptoms?

Hi Growing Friend,

I hope everyone enjoyed Thanksgiving and got in on all the Black Friday sales! We were able to snag most of our Christmas list items—just a few more to go! Now that we're deep into the holiday season, I wanted to talk about fragrance.

Before you exit because you love your holiday candles—there are alternatives that smell amazing without harming your body! I know you've probably heard that fragrances are "endocrine disruptors," but it's so much more than that. I want to give you a clearer understanding of why fragrance might actually be causing issues in your body and could be the missing piece in your non-toxic journey.

Before we cut out fragrance, I used to get awful headaches and occasional migraines. I remember calling my mom in the middle of the night to bring medicine because I was in too much pain to drive. I know it also contributed to my gut issues and inflammation throughout my body.

Here's what artificial fragrance does to your body:

Gut Health & Digestive System

• Synthetic fragrances alter your gut microbiome and increase intestinal permeability (leaky gut), allowing toxins and undigested food into your bloodstream, causing inflammation

• Phthalates trigger inflammatory responses in your digestive tract, contributing to IBS, bloating, and discomfort

• As an endocrine disruptor, it interferes with your metabolism and digestive function

Your Organs

• Creates stress on your liver (which has to detoxify these chemicals) and kidneys (which excrete them)

• Enters your bloodstream through your lungs and circulates throughout your body

• Crosses the blood-brain barrier, which can cause headaches, brain fog, and mood changes

The Cancer Connection Phthalates (used to make scents last longer) are classified as possible carcinogens linked to increased cancer risk. These endocrine-disrupting chemicals also increase risk for hormone-related cancers. A single product can contain 20-300+ chemicals, some releasing formaldehyde—a known carcinogen—as they break down in the air.

This isn't just perfume. It's in cleaning products, laundry detergent, air fresheners, candles, trash bags, personal care items, and more. All of this creates bioaccumulation—fragrance chemicals accumulate in your body's fat tissues rather than being eliminated.

This is one of those things I think we’ll see a big push in years to come. Just like we learned about smoking's dangers and made changes, we're now discovering how everyday chemical exposures—including fragrances—impact our long-term health. We don't have to wait decades for 'official' warnings when we can make informed choices now.

I know that's a lot to comprehend. This is one I'm VERY passionate about. We have zero artificial fragrance in our household—it's on my absolute no list.

I want to re-emphasize, this information isn't meant to cause fear or overwhelm. It's to help you understand why you may have symptoms that don't make sense. If fragrance doesn't bother you, maybe it's not a priority. But for us, it was. I didn't want to live with headaches, migraines, and inflammation—and that's what I experience around fragrance.

Later this month we'll dive into alternative brands so you still get those holiday scents, answer your questions (send them in!), and share community wins. If you're enjoying the newsletter, please email me feedback and share with friends and family—I'd love to grow our community!

Rooted in Wellness & Rising Together,

Erica