Natural Cologne Facts and Benefits You May Not Know About

By Liz Thompson in Natural Products

When it comes to choosing a personal scent, there's more to consider than appealing aroma. The ingredients that make up your cologne are equally important, and there are several reasons you might want to opt for natural cologne over traditional fragrance.

If the idea of natural scent makes you think of earthy-smelling concoctions, you'll be pleasantly surprised to learn that modern natural men's cologne has come a long way. Now, you can easily find a scent you'll love that doesn't contain synthetic fragrance ingredients.

 

Person Holds Essential Oil Bottle

 

What Is Natural Cologne?

It's important to understand that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has no legal definition for the term "natural" when it comes to cosmetics. This means that, when you see the term on a cologne product label, it's important to take a closer look.

"Natural" is used far and wide in product marketing. Some products are made of mostly natural ingredients, while others may contain a minuscule amount of them. This unregulated use of the term makes it confusing for consumers to know exactly what they are getting when purchasing natural cologne.

Since natural is not defined by the FDA, it's left up to the product manufacturer's interpretation. In Tom's of Maine personal care products, for example, natural fragrance comes from plants rather than synthetic fragrance components. Pure plant essential oils, essential oil blends, and blends that contain naturally derived plant isolates are used to deliver natural scent.

The best way to know what you are using on your body when it comes to cosmetics and personal care is to read product ingredient listings. And this goes for natural cologne, too. One useful tactic is to read a brand's ingredient commitment and see how they define the term "natural," which can help you better understand the ingredients they use in their products.

This practice is particularly important where fragrance ingredients are concerned, as manufacturers are not required by the FDA to include individual fragrance ingredients on product ingredient listings. Fragrance ingredient combinations fall under a trade-secret loophole that allows product creators to protect their signature scent. It also allows those using synthetic fragrances to hide them under terms such as "fragrance" or "flavor" on product labels.

 

Benefits of Natural Cologne

Using natural men's cologne made with naturally derived fragrance ingredients can help you avoid exposure to synthetic fragrances and ingredients. But naturally scented products also offer other benefits. Certain essential oils may offer aromatherapy qualities and lend pleasurable sensations to your skin and spirit. For instance, eucalyptus oil is thought to help relieve headaches.

 

How Are Natural Scent Ingredients Created?

Synthetic fragrances are chemical mixtures combined to produce a desired scent. Even products labeled "unscented" may contain chemical fragrances to mask undesirable scent. As the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics states, these fragrance combinations may include ingredients obtained from petroleum and other raw materials.

For Tom's of Maine, fragrances are naturally derived through distillation, carbon dioxide extraction, cold pressing, and fermentation of pure plant ingredients, and the company uses natural carrier oils, such as glycerin and coconut oil.

 

Distilling Natural Cologne

 

When you are shopping for a natural cologne, read the ingredient listings and research the brand's practices to ensure you are using a product you can feel comfortable with. Your nose—and body—will thank you.

What are your favorite natural ingredients? Check out the natural ingredients we love on the Ingredients from Nature board by @tomsofmaine on Pinterest!

 

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The views and opinions expressed in any guest post featured on our site are those of the guest author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of Tom's of Maine.

 

 

Why It's Good

If the idea of natural scent makes you think of earthy-smelling concoctions, you will be pleasantly surprised to learn that modern natural cologne has come a long way. Along with its smell and lack of synthetic fragrance ingredients, there's a lot to love about cologne made from naturally derived ingredients.