Question:
Hi everyone, this is my first post. I'm potentially shopping for chemically sensitive individuals, and I was wondering if anyone can recommend perfume that doesn't use chemical fixatives or strong aldehydes. By chemicals, I mean things like benzyl alcohol, benzyl benzoate, coumarin etc.
I heard that Annick Goutal perfume doesn't use a chemical base. Does anyone have a box of perfume from that line that lists the ingredients?
One more thing: can anyone who has the box for Terre D'hermes tell me what it lists as the ingredients? I'd really appreciate it, thanks!

Answer:
Wellcome to basenotes.
Chemical is a problematic term in this context, because, evidently every component of every perfume is a chemical, whether natural or synthetic. And it is not a given, contrary to some popular mythology, that perfume allergies result from synthetics while naturals are somehow harmless. That dichotomous view is misguided anyway, as certain "synthetics" are derived from natural raw material, while certain natural oils undergo massive technical manipulation.
It would thus depend very much on the specific chemical sensitivity, i.e. known allergies to specific components, of an individual to match him/her up with suitable fragrances. Some people may get a rash from a $300 niche and be fine with 4711.
Consider, e.g. that Coumarin is a key ingredient in natural lavender oil and tonka, two standard perfume ingredients, plus it is a standard synthetic. Avoiding coumarin means cutting out half, or perhaps more like 80% of all available perfumes. Pure, natural sandalwood is a powerful fixative, too. There are ingredients statistically more likely to cause allergies and most of them have been forbidden or their use is restricted in terms of percentage. There was a recent article posted here which pointed out that classical or natural perfumery might soon become impossible because of restrictions on the use of classic components such as oakmoss.
If you do want to avoid synthetics, the only way to go is the subculture of natural perfumes, which others can tell you more about. While certain high end houses like Creed, Lutens or Goutal etc. use higher percentages of natural oils, they would rarely ever offer a natural perfume. And then again, if your read the INCI declaration of Acqua di Parma, which is supposedly all natural, you'll go dizzy.
Seriously allergic persons should probably avoid perfume - it's not that important anyway (haha, just kidding).
And I can't find my Terre d'Hermes bottle
Hope someone else comes up with more constructive advice

Answer:
Seriously allergic persons should probably avoid perfume - it's not that important anyway (haha, just kidding). That cracked me up!

Answer:
Sorry, a double post. I'm also sorry for not being the one with more constructive advice . One thing I do know is, that my mother is allergic basically to every designer scent. I took a stupid risk and bought SMN Iris to her, she loves it and can use it without any problems. This is just one case and proves absolutely nothing. Great...

Answer:
You may want to look at the fragrances made by Ayala Moriel. She is a fragrance maker working out of Vancouver Canada and also is somewhat active on Basenotes. I believe that all of her creations only use natural ingredients and she will also to custom creations.
http://www.basenotes.net/house/102178
Her username on Basenotes is: Ayala
/member.php?u=349

Answer:
Gendarme was created to be highly unsensitizing and non-alergenic.

Answer:
Originally Posted by baald Gendarme was created to be highly unsensitizing and non-alergenic. Hmm, that's good to know, thanks a lot.
Thanks everyone else for the responses. I should have been more specific by saying "synthetic" or "isolated" chemicals.
The main concern a lot of people have, I believe, is that most designer perfumes use synthetic, isolated petroleum and benzene derivatives (benzyl alcohol, etc.) which a sizeable number of people are allergic to, apparently.
I'll look up Ayala's perfumes and see what I can find. Thanks.

Answer:
you should also try to find out about Gobin Daude fragrances, although discontinued they 're worth looking for, probably the most beautiful poetic and botanical natural perfume line ever created. Gobin Daude has reached some sort of cult status amongst perfume lovers.
Biche dans l 'Absinthe, Seve Exquise, Nuit au Desert...

Answer:
You appear to believe that natural ingredients can't cause reactions in sensitive individuals, and this is not the case; several natural substances are sensitizers or irritants (oakmoss and cinnamon being two well-known examples, though there are many others). There's no magical difference between natural chemicals, synthesized naturally-occuring chemicals, and completely synthetic chemicals that makes one group "bad" and another one "okay".
So with that said, people who have problems with chemical sensitivity probably shouldn't wear perfume.. meaning you should probably buy them something else. But if you insist on it, try Googling phrases like "perfume sensitizer" and you should be able to compile a reasonble list of things to avoid. For that matter, I think the IFRA has a list of banned and restricted chemcals; you could have a look at that, although I think their findings are distinctly alarmist.

Answer:
Originally Posted by Xplo You appear to believe that natural ingredients can't cause reactions in sensitive individuals, and this is not the case; several natural substances are sensitizers or irritants (oakmoss and cinnamon being two well-known examples, though there are many others). There's no magical difference between natural chemicals, synthesized naturally-occuring chemicals, and completely synthetic chemicals that makes one group "bad" and another one "okay".
So with that said, people who have problems with chemical sensitivity probably shouldn't wear perfume.. meaning you should probably buy them something else. But if you insist on it, try Googling phrases like "perfume sensitizer" and you should be able to compile a reasonble list of things to avoid. For that matter, I think the IFRA has a list of banned and restricted chemcals; you could have a look at that, although I think their findings are distinctly alarmist. Oh, I'm well aware of some natural oils being sensitizers. I've had the displeasure of spilling pure lemongrass oil on myself once.
Natural Oak Moss and Balsam Peru, I understand, are being taken out of formulations due to health concerns.
But where some people get migraines from synthetic/isolated fragrance compounds, they don't get a headache from natural oils... even if they contain the same compounds (though in a "natural" state). I can't speak for myself, but this is what I've been told by people with sensitivities/allergies.