Anyone up for a Scent Free challenge?

[Princess Kae-Leah]

OK, I posted a challenge a few days ago on my personal Facebook page, encouraging my FB friends to go as Scent-Free as possible for at least a week, that means absolutely no perfume or cologne, no scented deodorant, no scented candles, no scented air fresheners, no scented laundry detergent or Bounce, and no heavily scented cleaning products(such as PineSol) or toiletries,though I know finding 100% unscented products can be difficult. I know people with scent issues often have sensitivities with other synthetic chemicals as well, but with this challenge I'm pretty much focusing on just artificial scents, which are overstimulating to the ever-growing population of people with autism. Anyone up for it?

[MermaidCalliope]

I live pretty much a scent free lifestyle already due to allergies... I don't seem to have a problem with a few brands of perfume, though. LIVGRN is an organic perfume that's lovely. If you're looking for a scent free detergent that WORKS, try Charlie's Soap.

[Spindrift]

Yeah, same. I'm not really sure what else I'd be able to cut out and make scent free, except for food, and I don't think that's the point. :P

[Princess Kae-Leah]

So happy to say there are others here who try to live a mostly Scent-Free lifestyle! :)

[AniaR]

okay someone remind me (poke me on FB) it's too late for me here tonight but some day I'll post up a BIG list of scent free products, where to buy em, how much etc and post suggestions for switching too so you dont break the bank and go crazy!!!

[Princess Kae-Leah]

Thanks, that'll be outrageous Raina! Here are some of the products I currently use:
Deodorant-Right now, I alternate between using Dry Idea Unscented, which contains trace amounts of fragrance, perhaps as a masking agent?, and Ban roll-on unscented deodorant, which is 100% scent-free, as far as I know, though it does contain some other chemicals, so if you're trying to go all-natural and green it's not the best option. I'd like to switch to Tom's Of Maine once I use this stuff up.
Laundry Detergent-Tide Free, baby! I really like it and think it works well, but, then again, if you want to be chemical-free, it probably isn't the best way to go.
Shampoo-Kenda, a high-end salon brand, which isn't 100% unscented, but fragrance is the last ingredient listed, so it's very mild and I can handle it. I'm very much open to switching to an even better option, though, natch.
Cleaning Products-I still use mainstream cleaning products which contain chemicals but don't have a super-strong synthetic fragrance added, like original Windex, Dawn, and regular Comet(NOT the nasty Lemon Fresh kind!). I try to only use products when it's truly necessary and I use sparing amounts. I've been having a hard time finding alternative products.
Hand Soap-I go between buying anti-bacterial Dial Gold, which is scented but it's the mildest scent in the line, and Kiss My Face, which is a more expensive, mostly natural brand which contains a small amount of fragrance but it is very mild and natural-smelling.
Dryer Sheets-Bounce Free. I know, I know, dryer sheets are decidedly eco-unfriendly, and I'd like to look into alternatives. BTW, funny story: a RL friend once nicknamed me "Bounce" cause I can be so clingy!

I think it'd be helpful too if you the list is divided into categories(like "Scent-Free And All-Natural" and "Unscented But Contain Other Synthetic Chemicals"), 'cause people have different reasons for going Scent-Free. For some, it's an eco-friendly thing and they want to avoid all other chemicals, and some they literally only care about scents and don't mind using conventional products as long as they're unscented. Myself, I obviously lean toward the latter currently, but I also totally see the benefits of all-natural products and have been struggling to find good products that have "the whole package"-Scent-Free(I like capitalizing that, it makes it stand out!), eco-friendly, relatively inexpensive, and perhaps most importantly, work just as well as mainstream products. I like my hand soap to be anti-bacterial and/or moisturizing, and I need shampoo that is anti-dandruff, but the few greener products(The suburban area where I live doesn't have a Whole Foods for many miles around) I've come across in stores don't advertise those properties.

[Princess Kae-Leah]

I was at Wal-Mart today scoping out Scent-Free products, and I actually found quite a few new products, or at least new to me:
*Seventh Generation has a great, fairly inexpensive line of all-natural cleaning products, some of which are indeed unscented.
*Just about every brand of deodorant you could name has an unscented option, including Dove, SpeedStick, Arrid, and a few others. I'm not so sure now that I'll ever be able to switch to all-natural Tom's Of Maine in the future, as when I held it up to my nose I detected a surprising citrus scent. It's a million times milder than a lot of the nasty scents on the market, but my less eco-friendly Dry Idea and Ban smells less to me.
*100% Scent-Free shampoo seems tough to find, at least at the mainstream "big box" stores and supermarkets I usually shop at, but they're are some out there like Garnier Fructis(sp?) that claim to use more natural ingredients and don't have fragrance listed in the ingredients.
*Now, I know it's not totally eco if that's a priority for you, but Endust Free is a really great alternative to super-smelly and toxic Pledge, as it's 100% unscented and hypoallergenic

[AniaR]

Not all scent free products are actually good for you as there is a difference between scent and fragrance free. Fragrance free means there has nothing been ADDED to give it a perfumy smell, scent free means there is no scent but it may be that way because of a chemical. That's why it's really good to combine scent or fragrance free with all natural on the label then you know you're not getting something pumped full of chemicals to keep the scents away!

There's a really good book I love called Gorgeously Green it's all about being a woman and living a life that's eco friendly and still easy and awesome. http://www.gorgeouslygreen.com/

You can learn about environmental illness at my docs website! http://www.cdha.nshealth.ca/environmental-health-centre I'm totally going to write up a big post about this today I hope for here and my mermaid page :)

[AniaR]

also, my university website has EXCELLENT INFO about scent free and it's implications on health: http://www.msvu.ca/en/home/aboutus/WhatsHappening/scent_free/default.aspx

[AniaR]

Dear fans and friends, today I want to talk to you about environmental illness and multiple chemical sensitivity and why you should learn about it, how it affects the environment, and how it affects you!

Please note, you can fastforward to the bottom of this if you want to get to a scent free challenge and don't need all the background!

Both of these disorders are much more common than we realize as many people have it but are not diagnosed and mislabel their symptoms as something else. According to the NS Environmental Health Center Website:
"Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) has been defined as a chronic condition in which the symptoms are reproducible with repeated low level chemical exposure (lower than previously tolerated). The symptoms improve or resolve themselves when the incitants (chemicals) are removed. The responses occur to multiple chemically unrelated substances and symptoms involve multiple organ systems"

IN English? Chemicals in your environment make you sick. They may have always made you sick, or your body just may not be able to tolerate certain levels anymore. You can just bet if they're making you sick they're making animals and life around you sick.
The problem is products are not regulated the way food and drug are. A product that contains "fragrance" can actually be full of 100's of different carcinogens and toxins that aren't required to be listed. If you knew what was found in these things it would be a no brainer to you that people are getting sick or you are getting sick.

According to the Environmental Illness Resource website MCS and Enviro-illness have been linked to or proven causes of many diseases and symptoms, and also make current diseases, illnesses, conditions, and learning disabilities more difficult.

Obviously anything that involves breathing since many of these things are in or released into the air will be caused or made more difficult like infections, lung problems, asthma or more. When people think of enviro illness and scents this is typically what they think of. It can also cause repeated headaches, dizziness, weakness, chronic aches and pains, stomach pains and problems, skin rashes and itchyness, fatigue, insomnia, problems smelling and tasting, jittery-ness, paranoia, anxiety, depression, and more. If you have 1 or some of these issues chronically and nothing else seems to be causing it or you've tried everything else there's a good chance it's a result of too much toxins in your environment.

Toxic Chemicals can also worsen current conditions and put you more at risk but there are also studies that show it can make things like ADHD or Autism more difficult because it creates a heightened state of awareness of ones body due to the low level of tolerance and can cause a person to feel overwhelmed and or over stimulated very easily. For instance, I have Enviro-Illness and MCS as well as ADHD. I find it VERY difficult to ignore my body symptoms even when they are minor and my skin often feels so over stimulated to the point that even fabric from blankets or clothing touching it, hurts.

You can see why it's difficult to diagnose and put a name to, the symptoms could match so many other things and so often when we go to the doctor about this we're told we are "stressed". Indeed, stress plays a huge role especially for those of us who have or experience chronic pain and anxiety but eliminating the environmental factors that bother you can lessen your stress and make it easier to break out of the stress cycle. No wonder it can make you feel a little crazy!
My university has started a scent free program and they have fabulous easy to understand and to the point information on their website if you want more details: http://www.msvu.ca/en/home/aboutus/WhatsHappening/scent_free/default.aspx

So beyond the typical this will make you healthier, feel better, and happier reasons of being scent free why else is it a benefit? You're helping the environment by choosing products that are less toxic and release less or no toxins into the air, water, and environment. Many of the healthy products are more biodegradable and certified organic.

The book Gorgeously Green has great tips on products you can buy and even products you can make, as well as lots of information on living a greener lifestyle. There is also a free website: http://www.gorgeouslygreen.com/

Before I get into a "Scent Free Challenge" I want to tell you my story about going scent free:
A few years ago I was sicker than I'd ever been in my life. I'd always felt sick, always had issues, and most of my symptoms were lifelong and Id just accepted them as part of me. I always seemed to have a cough, felt a lot of dizziness and weakness, runny nose, migraines, and stomach issues for my whole life. I was entering into a real high stress period and I started to experience on top of all this intense chronic pain in my legs that would make its way up to my hips, back, and shoulders. It started out gradually but soon advanced to the point I couldn't walk and I couldn't sleep. I found myself a young woman in her early 20's feeling like an old woman having trouble getting up and down stairs, spending all my time in a hot bath, and not even being able to sit at a desk to use my computer. I became depressed because I felt so unable to do anything and finally I was referred to the Environmental Health Center of NS after a family member suggested it. (of course this was after a physio-therapist decided to tell me they thought I had MS and I went through a slew of testing and feeling terrified)

(side note, here is their website it's full of AMAZING info: http://www.cdha.nshealth.ca/environmental-health-centre )

Before I even got to go to the center I was sent a GIANT survey that took about 3 hours to answer about my symptoms, lifestyle, diet and stress. It asked me questions I would have been embarrassed to say in public to a doctor like "do you often have the sensation on your skin that insects are crawling on you?" and "do you have bouts of dizziness without movement for no apparent reason?" etc.

When I first went to the center I was greeted by the main doctor who met with me for 2 hours to discuss my symptoms, concerns, and take my initial vitals. Then I was met by ALL the other specialists as the center takes a multi-disciplinary approach and they all gave me the once over. I was sent home while they examined the tests they took to try and start transitioning to scent and chemical free and see how it changed things. I was given a list of what to change with suggestions of what to change it to.

I had to basically throw out all of my current personal hygiene products like shampoo, toothpaste, soap etc and change them to scent free and all natural alternatives. I changed all of my laundry over to scent free and chemical free and stopped using dryer sheets. I changed all my cleaning products to vinegar, baking soda, and all natural bought cleaning products. I started making sure I washed my food really well and chose organic products when I could.
It wasn't easy. Because of my level of toxicity my detox was intense. I felt super sick and worse than when I started. My fingernails and toenails also turned yellow and my hair became brittle. The doctor explained my body couldn't process the toxins fast enough. I had to up my water intake.
But within a few weeks I started to feel healthier than I EVER had in my life. Ever. All my symptoms even ones I had had my whole life practically vanished. My sense of taste and smell increased ten fold and I felt stronger. I started physical rehab as my body had been so weakened from being sick I had no balance and a lot of fine motor issues and they tracked my development and in about 6 months I was finally back to a normal ability level. It took about a year to really get me where a regular person is and I still have to do a lot to maintain it.

I started to read books about what it means to be Highly Sensitive both in body but emotion as well and started to change my outlook from "this is annoying" to "this is a gift". I learned to be more in tune with my body and mind and I felt amazing.

The only downside to detoxing is that you become more aware and sensitive to scents in public. Before they may have bothered me but I didn't exactly always smell them or key in that they were the reason I felt bad. Now the instant I smell someone with Axe deodorant on I get dizzy, a burning mouth, a cough and or runny nose and aches and pains will start if I'm around it too long. The good news? Enviromental illness is being taken VERY seriously now a days because SO many people have it or are at risk so most public places in North America are scent free- just sometimes you have to remind people ;)

If you're interested in current studies and info this website is really good for it: http://www.ei-resource.org/

So now we get to the challenge!
I challenge you to bag up your scented and chemical products (by all means dont throw them out) and put them either outside or in a sealed room like your basement. Start switching to scent free and all natural products. The transition may take you a few weeks because you need to buy things but this website tells you about practically every product you could ever want to buy http://www.unscented-products.com/?gclid=CI7niaGQmqoCFct95Qod_1t6zg and please note you do not have to buy online or even a special store. Most grocery stores have a natural food isle and you can buy the products there at a cheaper price. I get mine from Superstore in Canada!

Once you've been able to transition your products make sure you keep a symptom journal so you can make connections. When it's all transitioned start your challenge for a month! See how you feel! If no change, you probably have a very high tolerance, if you feel REALLY good you know you're doing well without it! If you feel really bad at first and then better your body is detoxing and you were at a level of chemical overload!
You can do this on your own but if you feel you'll be at risk talk to your doctor and do it with their supervision.
See how you feel! Not only are you helping yourself, but you're also helping the environment too!
Here's a website with a guide to non-toxic products as well: http://lesstoxicguide.ca/index.asp?fetch=usage

Remember it takes time! You need to transition, going cold turkey may make you start detoxing.

Even if you don't choose to do a scent free challenge please remember, there are so many people who get super sick from your products so try the following to help them out:
-Have a back up stick of unscented deodorant for times when you are in public places especially doctors' offices (in NS it's illegal to wear scented products in the office!)
-dont wear freshly laundered clothing when you're going to be in a public place where people are in close quarters
-avoid wearing perfumes and body sprays in public at all! (if you detox yourself, your sweat will smell less and less anyway!)
-remember there are many places where it is LAW that you are scent free and many places have important scent free policies like universities etc.
-get to know someone who has environmental illness so you can better understand the impact you make

[Spindrift]

@Raina: I found this last post extremely helpful and interesting. Thanks.

[Princess Kae-Leah]

Let's hear it for Raina! I respect you so much, 'cause you really know your stuff! Because when it comes to being truly 100% Scent-Free and eco-friendly, I know I've get miles to go and sometimes I feel like such a poseur, so I officially hand over the reins to the Challenge to you! ;) I don't have environmental illness, so chemicals in general have never bothered me much, but due to Asperger's Syndrome, a form of autism, scents have always overstimulated me(folks, if your mind is in the gutter when you read that word, I can assure you that it has NOTHING to do with what you're probably thinking, OK!) me and gave me headaches. However, as you can attest to, the best and most eco-friendly option is to try and find products that are free of any nasty synthetic chemicals if possible! :) I gotta say though, those weird masking chemicals do their job well of hiding odors, as Tom's all-natural deordorant has a strange citrusy smell that I don't care for, but my favorite "mainstream" unscented deodorants only have a slight waxy or liquidy smell. I'd love to find an all-natural unscented deodorant that is really-and-truly Scent-Free, unlike Tom's, so I can switch from my Ban and Dry Idea which makes my nostrils happy to a product that makes both my nostrils AND the planet happy! ;)
I find the hardest thing to switch overall is cleaning products, as I haven't come across an eco alternative to Comet for example, which I use more than most other cleaning products probably mostly out of habit, as my mom and grandma are total neat freaks and were always big fans of the stuff, long story, hehe! Seventh Generation has some pretty good alternatives to Dawn and Windex(which I've used pretty much all my life) though. Even though it isn't probably perfectly eco, I truly love me some Endust Free, as it works great for getting rid of dust allergens and I haven't seen many other mainstream products which claim to be hypoallergenic.

[AniaR]

replace comet with baking soda, seriously. use a bit of vinegar for tough stains, and then baking soda is a scrubbing agent. windex can be replaced with soda water or carbonated water. vingegar diluted in a spray bottle will disinfect and kill mold.

[Princess Kae-Leah]

I reeaaaaaaaaaaaaaalllllllllllyyyyyyyyyy need to read "Gorgeously Green".

[Princess Kae-Leah]

That link you shared is Truly Outrageous Raina! Not all of the products listed are available where I live(is NatureClean a Canadian brand?), but the DIY recipes are really cool and interesting and I'm so happy that there are so many non-toxic, unscented products out there if you know where to look. Thanks so much for sharing dahling!
A fun and helpful activity that I encourage y'all to do is to tally up how many products you use are mentioned on their lists, and what designation they give them. Here's mine:
Best:
Kiss My Face Olive Oil Soap
HEPA-Flitered Vacuum

Good:
Burt's Bees Lip Balm
Kiss My Face 100% Natural Lip Balms
Loreal Nail Polish
Revlon Nail Polish

Simply Unscented:
Dry Idea Unscented Deodorant
Ban Unscented Deodorant
The conventional feminine hygience products I use :o
Ultra-Tide Laundry Detergent
Huggies and Pampers Baby Wipes

[Princess Kae-Leah]

On the flip side, here's my list of the Top 10 Worst Scented Products in the World, and I'm sure Raina won't disagree with me! Seriously, just stopping using these products and keeping all your other conventional products if you're not ready and willing to commit to a Scent-Free Challenge would make a world of difference:
#1-Axe body sprays and deodorants(totally sexist and offensive commercials too!)
#2-PineSol(this stuff is evil!)
#3-Glade and Lysol air fresheners(try opening a window or turning the fan on after going number two instead!)
#4-Old Spice deodorants
#5-Scented candles(candles don't need scents!)
#6-Lemon Pledge floor cleaner(Nasty and toxic!)
#7-Non-organic/natural perfumes and colognes
#8-Lemon Fresh Comet
#9-Those tree-shaped car air freshener thingies(These things are disgusting!)
#10-After-shave lotions

[Spindrift]

Thought you might like to know that I'm doing a presentation on scented products for a sustainability class tomorrow. :)

[Winged Mermaid]

Wow, I haven't visited this thread in a while. Now that I've caught up I am really interested in giving scent free a shot. I have a LOT of odd symptoms that come and go and change, and at times it has been so bad I was terrified I was going to die. I've been to several doctors and when they couldn't find anything wrong medically they said I was just stressed. I thought with all the pain I was in I may have Fibro over the other medical issues I have, but I didn't react to the pressure point test, so they dismissed that. Then later I was told diagnosed with Somatization Disorder. Which basically means that the brain gets so overloaded with intense negative emotion that your brain feels it's forced to find something else to do with it- leading from everything to mystery pains of all kinds, to intestinal issues, neurological symptoms, ect. Symptoms that appear to come from nowhere, but can increase with noted emotional and physical stress, can be chronic and can come and go and change without warning. So basically, "It's pretty much all in your head and there's not much you can do about it". Especially when triggers can come from other medical/mental issues you already have (like anxiety disorders). So while they MAY be right about that, if there's something I can do that may work to help me, I'm going to try it. Cause not being able to much to help my state of health sucks. A lot of the symptoms listed sound like me. It's really effected my life as well. Not nearly as bad as yours, but it's taken a toll, and along with my narcolepsy it's left me pretty weak :/ Now that I think back, I know there are certian things that make me quite ill when I am around them. PineSol is a cleaning wonder but man does it make me sick!

It really scares me all the things that aren't monitored in everything from food to hygiene products to cleaning products, ect. People wonder why there is so many people that are ill in this world. Autism rates have been going up like crazy and so have cancer rates, as well as all kinds of deadly and crippling illnesses and conditions. People never stop and THINK about why.

One thing I like to bring up to girls is makeup. The things they can put in makeup can be horrific. Do you know there is MERCURY in most mascaras?? MERCURY. Blows my mind. I don't worry TOO much about products I only use every now and then, but things I wear on a more regular basis I check against the Skin Deep Database (http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/). I've managed to knock down several of my products from a hazard level of 7-8 to 1-2 rating. I highly encourage you to do the same! They also have more than makeup in the database- lots of personal hygiene products. Good information too!

I DO have a question! This is all about artificial scents and dangerous chemicals. But what about natural scents? What if instead of body spray, you used actual rose water? Also essential oils (possibly medical grade) diluted and/or rubbed on hot spots (like perfume)? I know people that use medical grade for actual treatments like this also. I've known people to even mix them in with the water and vinegar and other natural cleaners, in mop water, ect. Also I've heard of having dried fragrant herbs (lavender, rosemary, ect) mixed then sprinkling it on the carpet and vacuuming it up to leave a scent in a carpet. So what do you think- natural ok?

Thanks for all the links! I'll be going to check them out!

[AniaR]

natural products like that dont hurt your body but for many of us who go completely scent free we still end up irritated by them. I can only handle certain fresh flowers, and essential oils seem to be touch and go.

Did people know most candles scented or not are carcinogenic tho? beezewax all the way!

[Winged Mermaid]

Yeah, and paraffin candles are horrid for the environment too I've heard. Plus beeswax candles burn longer! I've been told this is mostly becuase it has a higher melting temperature.

[Spindrift]

Lol makeup is just a vicious cycle. Young girls are getting strangely intensely aged skin, and it's because of the make up they're wearing. And when their skin starts aging, they put on more make up to look younger. And the cycle goes on. Pretty devious.

[Princess Kae-Leah]

Speaking for myself personally, like Raina said, natural scents are obviously waaaaaaaay better for the environment and your health than artificial scents, but many people still have sensitivities to natural scents. I'd rather smell Seventh Generation's eco-friendly scented cleaning products than Pine-Sol, yes, but to me the best scent is no scent at all, even if it's natural, and natural floral scents and such can still over-stimulate me. I suggest if you're serious about giving a scent-free life, to look for products that are eco-friendly AND 100% unscented, as I've been finding they're really not that hard to find once you know where to look. One thing I've noticed, though, is sometimes all-natural unscented products still have a bit of a mild natural scent(Tom's Of Maine unscented deodorant has a bit of a citrus-y smell, which I'm not too fond of, although it's way milder than scented products) as so many conventional unscented products contain a chemical to mask the scent.

[green52]

Axe is clearly marketed towards 13 year olds. Smells terrible.

[Alveric]

My 14-year-old Son: Dad, do you think chicks dig Axe?
Me: Son, you've seen the commercials. If you were a chick, what would you think about them?
Son: Pretty silly.
Me: And the guys who wear that stuff?
Son: Oh.

Alveric

[SherryB]

I also extremely motivate you to do the same! They also have more than cosmetics in the database- many individual cleanliness items. Reliable information.