All Things Scented
My husband and I LOVE scented things in our home. For years we always made a point to go to Bath and Body Works at the start of every season, smell every new scent and stock up on all the products. It was actually something super cheesy I genuinely looked forward to at the start of every season.
When I started having to switch out all my products for cleaner, non-toxic ones, I found artificially scented things and things made for bad-for-your-lungs ingredients to be one of the biggest problems. Places where we used to shop were no longer an option and our seasonal shopping spree became non-existent. Before we got married, my husband could use those things when I wasn’t around but once we started living together I couldn’t have it in the house anymore. At first, I thought this wasn’t a big deal (after all, they are necessities) but we found we actually really liked picking out seasonal scents together, having candles burning and having the house smell good in general.
Like I’ve said plenty of times, if you’re unhappy with a change, it makes it very difficult to stick with that lifestyle (even if it is for the best). This was definitely one of those times. We realized we could not live a scent-free life and started searching for replacements instead. Luckily, we have found some really good options and got that little piece of fun back in our lives.
Candles were tricky (and I’m honestly not always as picky as I should be) and I am always learning more about ingredients I do and do not want. I have yet to find a go-to brand, but I am always searching We did find a way to replace those seasonal scent shopping trips by going to places like TJ Maxx and Home Goods. We small all the candles, picking out the ones made from better-burning waxes (like coconut, soy, and beeswax) and essential oils, We actually have a ton of fun digging through the piles and finding the best smelling candles and it makes my heart so happy to get that little tradition back.
** Candle Update: My mother-in-law got me a candle from Honey B Soy for Christmas, and I have become addicted. They are a small business, make clean candles with amazing scents, and they even offer car scents too! **
For hand soaps, I am all in on the ones from Grove (more on Grove to come because I am obsessed). I really like that they come in recyclable aluminum bottles and get poured into reusable glass soap dispensers, minimizing the waste created. There are 3—5 scents most of the year but they have a couple special season scents that come out for a limited time and really make me feel like I’m not missing out on my house smelling like pumpkin spice or pine trees (raise your hand if you love being basic too!)
As far as room scents, I have gone all in on Pura plug-in diffusers. I bought mine from the Pura website but I have linked this to Amazon because that is easiest for most people. I will also write a separate post about these because I really like them, but they aren’t perfect and I want to do into more detail. However, they have hundreds of scents and focus on being good for the air you, your family, and your pets breathe- which is enough for me. I like picking out my scents every few months and switching out all the diffusers in my house. I have one in our room, one in the living area and one downstairs just to make sure it smells good everywhere.
There are so many options out there, it can be overwhelming. Try to make it fun when looking for new products. You may have to get creative and do a lot of googling, but there is almost always a way to get back traditions, memories or products you really love in a way that’s better for you and your family. Never give up looking, and make sure to pass your awesome finds on to me!