<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0" xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd" xmlns:googleplay="http://www.google.com/schemas/play-podcasts/1.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Freedom from Fragrance]]></title><description><![CDATA[Advocating for those of us with fragrance allergies, eczema, sensitive skin, asthma and folks who simply prefer their products clean. More ingredient transparency, better labeling, and fragrance-free options for beauty and home products! ]]></description><link>https://karenjdsouza.substack.com</link><image><url>https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Sg9X!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1aac330d-cd16-4507-a77b-c5ae74ddc2ca_256x256.png</url><title>Freedom from Fragrance</title><link>https://karenjdsouza.substack.com</link></image><generator>Substack</generator><lastBuildDate>Thu, 04 Jun 2026 02:14:27 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><copyright><![CDATA[kd]]></copyright><language><![CDATA[en]]></language><webMaster><![CDATA[karenjdsouza@substack.com]]></webMaster><itunes:owner><itunes:email><![CDATA[karenjdsouza@substack.com]]></itunes:email><itunes:name><![CDATA[freedom from fragrance]]></itunes:name></itunes:owner><itunes:author><![CDATA[freedom from fragrance]]></itunes:author><googleplay:owner><![CDATA[karenjdsouza@substack.com]]></googleplay:owner><googleplay:email><![CDATA[karenjdsouza@substack.com]]></googleplay:email><googleplay:author><![CDATA[freedom from fragrance]]></googleplay:author><itunes:block><![CDATA[Yes]]></itunes:block><item><title><![CDATA[The Normies Are Catching On]]></title><description><![CDATA[The Strategist called. They want to talk fragrance-free.]]></description><link>https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/p/the-normies-are-catching-on</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/p/the-normies-are-catching-on</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[freedom from fragrance]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 26 Mar 2026 15:22:39 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Sg9X!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1aac330d-cd16-4507-a77b-c5ae74ddc2ca_256x256.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>New York Magazine&#8217;s The Strategist &#8212; the iconic shopping column that also covers $400 candles &#8212;<a href="https://nymag.com/strategist/article/fragrance-free-products-we-use.html"> just published a fragrance-free product roundup. We&#8217;re calling it a W.</a></p><p>Some picks are old news to anyone who&#8217;s been living this for more than a week. CeraVe, Vanicream, Eucerin, Vaseline, Aquaphor &#8212; foundational blocks. Same goes for Tide Free &amp; Gentle and Seventh Generation on the detergent front, though the omission of <strong>All Free &amp; Clear</strong> &#8212; our holy grail &#8212; is a <em>choice</em>. But who are we to judge?</p><p></p><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">If you believe everyone deserves to know what's in their products, you're in the right place. Freedom from Fragrance is a reader-supported movement to disrupt the beauty and health market and advocate for ingredient transparency, better labeling, and cleaner products.</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div><p></p><p>For us the sunscreens and deodorants coverage was exciting. Finding a fragrance-free deodorant that actually works and is satisfying is our <em>white whale</em>, and they surfaced a couple new-to-us options we&#8217;re adding to the summer testing list. We&#8217;ll report back.</p><p>Is the article&#8217;s headline calling the fragrance-free landscape &#8220;vast&#8221; &#8212; generous? Yes, yes it is. But it got us clicking, so no shade. Okay, affectionate shade.</p><p>The bigger point: The Strategist doesn&#8217;t cover niche concerns. When they dedicate a roundup to this, it means enough people are searching, talking, and buying that it&#8217;s become a mainstream consumer story. That&#8217;s exactly the shift we&#8217;ve been pushing for.</p><div><hr></div><p>Have you anything from the list? Have a holy grail that didn&#8217;t make the cut &#8212; especially a deodorant? Drop it in the comments. <strong>We are begging.</strong></p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[(Some) States are going FFF. Is Yours?]]></title><description><![CDATA[The Rules Are Changing &#8212; Here's What You Need to Know]]></description><link>https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/p/some-states-are-going-fff-is-yours</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/p/some-states-are-going-fff-is-yours</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[freedom from fragrance]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 18 Mar 2026 15:22:38 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!OYAp!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F990d150b-206b-4667-a10f-a7525165143f_822x433.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!OYAp!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F990d150b-206b-4667-a10f-a7525165143f_822x433.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!OYAp!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F990d150b-206b-4667-a10f-a7525165143f_822x433.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!OYAp!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F990d150b-206b-4667-a10f-a7525165143f_822x433.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!OYAp!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F990d150b-206b-4667-a10f-a7525165143f_822x433.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!OYAp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F990d150b-206b-4667-a10f-a7525165143f_822x433.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!OYAp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F990d150b-206b-4667-a10f-a7525165143f_822x433.png" width="822" height="433" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/990d150b-206b-4667-a10f-a7525165143f_822x433.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:433,&quot;width&quot;:822,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:295229,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/i/191300395?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F990d150b-206b-4667-a10f-a7525165143f_822x433.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!OYAp!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F990d150b-206b-4667-a10f-a7525165143f_822x433.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!OYAp!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F990d150b-206b-4667-a10f-a7525165143f_822x433.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!OYAp!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F990d150b-206b-4667-a10f-a7525165143f_822x433.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!OYAp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F990d150b-206b-4667-a10f-a7525165143f_822x433.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">If you believe everyone deserves to know what's in their products, you're in the right place. Freedom from Fragrance is a reader-supported movement to disrupt the beauty and health market and advocate for ingredient transparency, better labeling, and cleaner products.</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div><p>In January 2024, Oregon quietly made history &#8212; becoming the first state to pass a comprehensive toxic-free cosmetics law. No federal mandate. No fanfare. Just a state deciding its residents deserved better.</p><p>A year later, California, Colorado, and Maryland all followed suite. Washington went further still. Vermont and Maine have laws queued up for 2026 and 2027.</p><p>Oregon lit the match. And it&#8217;s spreading! Here&#8217;s where every state stands right now. </p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!VnEq!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4e1f812d-85cd-4030-af2e-c59603291bdb_1154x814.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!VnEq!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4e1f812d-85cd-4030-af2e-c59603291bdb_1154x814.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!VnEq!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4e1f812d-85cd-4030-af2e-c59603291bdb_1154x814.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!VnEq!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4e1f812d-85cd-4030-af2e-c59603291bdb_1154x814.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!VnEq!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4e1f812d-85cd-4030-af2e-c59603291bdb_1154x814.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!VnEq!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4e1f812d-85cd-4030-af2e-c59603291bdb_1154x814.png" width="1154" height="814" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/4e1f812d-85cd-4030-af2e-c59603291bdb_1154x814.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:814,&quot;width&quot;:1154,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:98786,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/i/191300395?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4e1f812d-85cd-4030-af2e-c59603291bdb_1154x814.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!VnEq!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4e1f812d-85cd-4030-af2e-c59603291bdb_1154x814.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!VnEq!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4e1f812d-85cd-4030-af2e-c59603291bdb_1154x814.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!VnEq!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4e1f812d-85cd-4030-af2e-c59603291bdb_1154x814.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!VnEq!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4e1f812d-85cd-4030-af2e-c59603291bdb_1154x814.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p style="text-align: center;"><em>A full list of states and where they are at below</em></p><div><hr></div><p>So why are some states ahead? A few things tend to come together: strong public health advocacy organizations with state-level reach, progressive consumer protection traditions (California has been doing this since 2005), and legislators who&#8217;ve been hearing from constituents who are living with the consequences of chemical exposure. California&#8217;s Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act, which served as a model for many states that followed, was championed by groups like the Environmental Working Group, Black Women for Wellness, and Breast Cancer Prevention Partners working in coalition over years.</p><p>The states that are further behind tend to have less organized advocacy infrastructure on this specific issue, or face stronger industry lobbying. The cosmetics industry is not a passive observer here. As one public health advocate noted, industry representatives met with Congressional staffers over 200 times during MoCRA negotiations &#8212; consumer advocates got one meeting.</p><h3>What these laws actually do</h3><p>Unlike the federal approach &#8212; which focuses on disclosure and manufacturing practices &#8212; state laws are taking a more direct route: <strong>just banning the stuff</strong>. Phthalates, PFAS (&#8221;forever chemicals&#8221;), formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives, certain parabens, mercury. Chemicals already banned in the EU that are still legal in U.S. products sold in states without their own rules.</p><p>And crucially, these laws go beyond what most people think of as &#8220;cosmetics.&#8221; They cover personal care products broadly &#8212; menstrual products, salon products, cleaning products in some cases. And they hold not just manufacturers but distributors and retailers accountable if they <em>knowingly</em> sell non-compliant products, with civil penalties up to $5,000 per violation.</p><p>Here&#8217;s the part that matters for everyone, regardless of what state you&#8217;re in: <strong>brands don&#8217;t want to run two formulas</strong>. When California bans something, companies typically reformulate nationally. State pressure creates national change. It&#8217;s not altruism &#8212; it&#8217;s economics.</p><div class="pullquote"><p>When California bans something, companies typically reformulate nationally. State pressure creates national change. It&#8217;s not altruism &#8212; it&#8217;s economics.</p></div><h3>Actionable ways to advocate for your own stat</h3><h3>e</h3><p>This is where we want to spend some time, because we get asked this a lot and there are concrete things you can actually do.</p><p><strong>1. Find out where your state stands.</strong> <a href="http://safecosmetics.org">The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics</a> and the <a href="http://ewg.org">Environmental Working Group</a> both track state-level legislation. Check whether your state has introduced or passed anything &#8212; you might be surprised.</p><p><strong>2. Know who to contact.</strong> State-level change happens through state legislators, not Congress. Find your<a href="http://usa.gov/state-legislators"> state representative and senator</a>. These are the people who actually vote on these laws, and constituent contact genuinely moves them &#8212; especially on issues that don&#8217;t have huge industry lobbying budgets at the state level (yet).</p><p><strong>3. Connect with organizations already doing this work.</strong> Groups like <strong><a href="http://saferstates.org">Safer States</a></strong>, <strong>Toxic-Free Future</strong>, and <strong>Breast Cancer Prevention Partners</strong> run state-level advocacy campaigns and can tell you exactly what&#8217;s in motion in your state and where support is needed. The Safer Beauty Bill Package &#8212; a federal set of four bills reintroduced in July 2025 &#8212; also has a simple tool to <a href="http://bcpp.org">contact your member of Congress directly</a>.</p><p><strong>4. Buy from brands that are reformulating ahead of the law.</strong> Market signals matter. When fragrance-free, lower-toxicity products outsell their competitors, that&#8217;s data brands and retailers pay attention to. Your purchases are part of this.</p><div><hr></div><p>The federal government has been slow &#8212; MoCRA passed in 2022 and many of its promised rules are still pending. MoCRA was also the first update to federal law in 80 years. The good news is the states aren&#8217;t waiting. And the more of them that move, the harder it becomes for brands to justify keeping harmful ingredients in <em>any</em> of their products.</p><p>We&#8217;d love to know: what state are you in, and do you know if there&#8217;s active legislation? Drop it in the comments &#8212; it helps us map where the conversation is most needed.</p><div><hr></div><p><strong>States with full laws in effect</strong></p><ul><li><p><strong>California</strong> &#8212; Multiple laws; bans 24+ toxic chemicals, full PFAS ban, fragrance ingredient disclosure database. In effect Jan 2025.</p></li><li><p><strong>Washington</strong> &#8212; One of the strongest laws in the country; bans PFAS, lead, phthalates, formaldehyde. In effect Jan 2025. First state to ban <em>all</em> formaldehyde-releasing chemicals (Aug 2025).</p></li><li><p><strong>Oregon</strong> &#8212; Bans PFAS, phthalates, formaldehyde, mercury + requires online ingredient disclosure. In effect Jan 2024, with some provisions phasing in through 2027.</p></li><li><p><strong>Colorado</strong> &#8212; PFAS ban in cosmetics. In effect Jan 2025.</p></li><li><p><strong>Maryland</strong> &#8212; Bans PFAS, formaldehyde, phthalates and more. In effect Jan 2025.</p></li><li><p><strong>Minnesota</strong> &#8212; PFAS ban covering cosmetics in effect Jan 2025. Formaldehyde ban in children&#8217;s products since 2013.</p></li></ul><p><strong>Partial law in effect</strong></p><ul><li><p><strong>New York</strong> &#8212; Mercury and 1,4-dioxane bans already in effect. The broader Beauty Justice Act, which would significantly expand protections, is still pending.</p></li></ul><p><strong>Passed &#8212; coming soon</strong></p><ul><li><p><strong>Vermont</strong> &#8212; Comprehensive ban: PFAS, toxic chemicals and more. <strong>Jan 1, 2026.</strong></p></li><li><p><strong>Connecticut</strong> &#8212; PFAS ban in cosmetics. <strong>Jul 1, 2026.</strong></p></li><li><p><strong>Maine</strong> &#8212; PFAS + toxic ingredient ban. <strong>Jan 1, 2027.</strong></p></li><li><p><strong>Rhode Island</strong> &#8212; PFAS ban in cosmetics. <strong>2027.</strong></p></li><li><p><strong>New Hampshire</strong> &#8212; PFAS ban in cosmetics. <strong>2027.</strong></p></li><li><p><strong>New Jersey</strong> &#8212; PFAS ban in cosmetics. <strong>2027.</strong></p></li><li><p><strong>New Mexico</strong> &#8212; PFAS ban. <strong>2028.</strong></p></li></ul><p><strong>No meaningful law yet</strong></p><ul><li><p><strong>Illinois</strong> &#8212; Legislation introduced, status pending.</p></li><li><p><strong>Georgia</strong> &#8212; Legislation introduced, status unclear.</p></li><li><p><strong>Florida, Texas, and most of the South and Midwest</strong> &#8212; No state-level cosmetic ingredient bans in place.</p></li><li><p>Roughly <strong>30 states</strong> have no cosmetic safety legislation of note whatsoever.</p></li></ul><div><hr></div><p><strong>Resources</strong></p><ul><li><p><strong><a href="https://www.safecosmetics.org/resources/regulations/">Campaign for Safe Cosmetics &#8212; State Laws Tracker</a>:</strong> Full map of where each state stands on cosmetic safety legislation.</p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://www.saferstates.org/">Safer States</a>:</strong> Coalition supporting state-level action on toxic chemicals.</p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://www.bcpp.org/resource/safer-beauty-bill-package/">Breast Cancer Prevention Partners &#8212; Take Action</a>:</strong> Contact your member of Congress on the Safer Beauty Bill Package.</p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/">EWG Skin Deep Database</a>:</strong> Search products and ingredients for safety ratings.</p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://www.usa.gov/state-legislators">Find Your State Legislator</a>:</strong> Look up exactly who to contact in your state.</p></li></ul>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[When Your Perfume Is Someone Else's Migraine]]></title><description><![CDATA[Navigating the "Invisible Barrier" or Airborne Fragrance Sensitivity]]></description><link>https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/p/when-your-perfume-is-someone-elses</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/p/when-your-perfume-is-someone-elses</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[freedom from fragrance]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 10 Mar 2026 15:22:28 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6uA7!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fff654f59-9a1f-4b52-ac2a-c0553c57d986_822x433.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6uA7!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fff654f59-9a1f-4b52-ac2a-c0553c57d986_822x433.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6uA7!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fff654f59-9a1f-4b52-ac2a-c0553c57d986_822x433.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6uA7!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fff654f59-9a1f-4b52-ac2a-c0553c57d986_822x433.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6uA7!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fff654f59-9a1f-4b52-ac2a-c0553c57d986_822x433.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6uA7!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fff654f59-9a1f-4b52-ac2a-c0553c57d986_822x433.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6uA7!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fff654f59-9a1f-4b52-ac2a-c0553c57d986_822x433.png" width="554" height="291.8272506082725" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/ff654f59-9a1f-4b52-ac2a-c0553c57d986_822x433.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:433,&quot;width&quot;:822,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:554,&quot;bytes&quot;:194531,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/i/189778251?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fff654f59-9a1f-4b52-ac2a-c0553c57d986_822x433.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6uA7!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fff654f59-9a1f-4b52-ac2a-c0553c57d986_822x433.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6uA7!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fff654f59-9a1f-4b52-ac2a-c0553c57d986_822x433.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6uA7!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fff654f59-9a1f-4b52-ac2a-c0553c57d986_822x433.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6uA7!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fff654f59-9a1f-4b52-ac2a-c0553c57d986_822x433.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>We came across what researchers are calling the "invisible barrier" of fragrance sensitivity &#8212; and, well, it bummed us out. Our own sensitivities swim more in the contact dermatitis space than airborne, so we're not in the thick of this particular fight. But after taking in the research and considering the real effects, we have enormous compassion for the people who are. Contact fragrance sensitivity is extremely limiting on its own, so add shared airspace into the equation and you can see how isolating it can be. This is not a niche problem, and if the conversation around fragrance allergies becomes more mainstream, it's actually quite solvable. So let's talk about it!</p><div class="pullquote"><h3>&#8220;Nearly 70% of fragrance-sensitive individuals report being excluded from social life &#8220;strongly or completely&#8221; due to scent exposure&#8230;&#8221;</h3></div><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">If you believe everyone deserves to know what's in their products, you're in the right place. Freedom from Fragrance is reader-supported &#8212; and free to join.</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div><p>Across the US, Australia, the UK, and Sweden, roughly 1 in 3 adults report adverse health effects from fragranced consumer products &#8212; things as common as air fresheners, hand lotion, or a coworker&#8217;s perfume. For 9.5% of the population, those reactions are severe enough to be considered disabling: migraines, respiratory distress, brain fog. Real impairments, not simply sneezing. (Sneezing isn&#8217;t great either btw.)</p><p>The social cost is real. According to the 2026 Wagner &amp; Klaschka survey, nearly 70% of fragrance-sensitive individuals report being excluded from social life &#8220;strongly or completely&#8221; &#8212; weddings, dinner parties, family gatherings, just gone. Roughly 49% attributed job loss to their sensitivity, which hits harder when you consider that fragrance-related workplace illness costs an estimated $146 billion annually across those same four countries, with individuals losing an average of $4,300 a year.</p><div class="pullquote"><h3>&#8220;&#8230; fragrance sensitivity can qualify as a covered disability under the ADA, which means there are real legal frameworks for asking for help.&#8221;</h3></div><p>Return-to-office mandates have pulled a lot of fragrance-sensitive people out of the one environment they could actually control. Now they&#8217;re hot-desking in open-plan offices with zero say over their neighbors&#8217; cologne or the cleaning crew&#8217;s products &#8212; and it shows. Fragrance sensitivity accommodation requests have increased 200% over the past decade.</p><p>The good news: fragrance sensitivity can qualify as a covered disability under the ADA, meaning real legal frameworks exist for asking for help. In McBride v. City of Detroit, a senior city planner won $100,000 after her employer dismissed her sensitivity as a personal problem rather than an ADA issue &#8212; the city was ultimately required to revise its handbook and post a fragrance-free policy companywide. Precedent exists. You have ground to stand on, and knowing that going into these conversations can potentially lead to change.</p><p>We put our heads together on some potential scripts for the conversations nobody  knows how to start &#8212; maybe it&#8217;s a cheat sheet? Save these. Share them. Start them! And when you're ready, we'd love to hear from those who've been in the thick of it: How did you advocate for yourself? And what do you wish people without airborne allergies understood about how to help?</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><p></p><p><strong>*For the Workplace (HR or Manager)</strong></p><p>&#8220;I&#8217;m requesting a reasonable accommodation regarding the office air quality. I have a diagnosed sensitivity to synthetic fragrances that causes, which significantly impacts my ability to focus and stay productive. Could we discuss implementing a fragrance-free policy for our immediate workspace, or perhaps relocating my desk to a well-ventilated area?&#8221;</p><p><strong>*For a Social Invitation (to a Friend/Host)</strong></p><p>&#8220;I&#8217;d love to come to the party! Quick heads-up: I have a severe respiratory reaction to strong scents like candles, incense, or perfumes. Would you be open to keeping the space &#8216;scent-neutral&#8217; for the night?&#8221;</p><p><strong>*For a Colleague (Direct Approach)</strong></p><p>&#8220;I wanted to mention something privately. I&#8217;ve noticed a specific scent in our area that&#8217;s been triggering some health issues for me lately. Would you mind checking if your [lotion/perfume] has a fragrance-free version, or perhaps applying it outside of our shared space?&#8221;</p><p>These can be tough conversations. Would love to hear more about what&#8217;s worked for people in the past.</p><div class="captioned-button-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/p/when-your-perfume-is-someone-elses?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;}" data-component-name="CaptionedButtonToDOM"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Thanks for reading Freedom from Fragrance. We are reader supported movement to disrupt the beauty and health market to advocate for ingredient transparency, better labeling, and cleaner products. </p></div><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/p/when-your-perfume-is-someone-elses?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/p/when-your-perfume-is-someone-elses?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share"><span>Share</span></a></p></div><p></p><p><strong>Bonus Reading</strong></p><ul><li><p><strong><a href="https://csw.ucla.edu/toolkit">UCLA Center for the Study of Women</a>:</strong> A comprehensive Fragrance-Free Toolkit that is widely considered the &#8220;gold standard&#8221; for institutional policy.</p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://askjan.org/">Job Accommodation Network (JAN)</a>:</strong> Provides specific legal guidance on how fragrance sensitivity falls under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).</p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://invisibledisabilities.org/">The Invisible Disabilities Association</a>:</strong> Offers peer support and &#8220;I have a sensitivity&#8221; cards you can carry to explain your needs quickly to strangers.</p></li></ul><p></p><p><strong>Article Resources</strong></p><ul><li><p><strong>Springer Nature / Air Quality, Atmosphere &amp; Health</strong> &#8212; Steinemann, A. (2019). &#8220;International prevalence of fragrance sensitivity.&#8221; <em>Air Quality, Atmosphere &amp; Health.</em> <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11869-019-00699-4">https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11869-019-00699-4</a> <em>(1 in 3 adults statistic, 9.5% disabling reactions, $146 billion annual cost, $4,300 per person figure)</em></p></li><li><p><strong>Wagner &amp; Klaschka (2026)</strong> &#8212; Survey data on social exclusion (70%) and job loss (49%) among fragrance-sensitive individuals. </p></li><li><p><strong>Job Accommodation Network (JAN)</strong> &#8212; Fragrance Sensitivity accommodation guidance under the ADA. <a href="https://askjan.org/disabilities/Fragrance-Sensitivity.cfm">https://askjan.org/disabilities/Fragrance-Sensitivity.cfm</a> <em>(200% increase in accommodation requests; three-option accommodation framework)</em></p></li><li><p><strong>HRMorning</strong> &#8212; &#8220;What&#8217;s that smell? Fragrance sensitivities and the ADA.&#8221; <a href="https://www.hrmorning.com/articles/fragrance-sensitivities-ada/">https://www.hrmorning.com/articles/fragrance-sensitivities-ada/</a> <em>(ADA disability qualification; McBride v. City of Detroit case details)</em></p></li><li><p><strong>Labor Law Education Center</strong> &#8212; &#8220;Fragrance Sensitivity a Disability Under ADA.&#8221; <a href="https://www.laborlawcenter.com/education-center/fragrance-sensitivity-a-disability-under-ada/">https://www.laborlawcenter.com/education-center/fragrance-sensitivity-a-disability-under-ada/</a> <em>(McBride v. City of Detroit settlement details)</em></p></li><li><p><strong>Sleep &amp; Sinus Centers</strong> &#8212; &#8220;Workplace Fragrance Allergy Etiquette.&#8221; <a href="https://sleepandsinuscenters.com/blog/workplace-fragrance-allergy-etiquette-managing-scent-sensitivities-at-work">https://sleepandsinuscenters.com/blog/workplace-fragrance-allergy-etiquette-managing-scent-sensitivities-at-work</a> <em>(200% accommodation request increase; HEPA purifier recommendations)</em></p><p></p></li></ul>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Oh, hell yeah, Havyn....]]></title><description><![CDATA[She&#8217;s gorgeous! She's fragrance-free! She's allergen free! She&#8217;s vegan! She has transparent labeling! She&#8217;s our dream.]]></description><link>https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/p/oh-hell-yeah-havyn</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/p/oh-hell-yeah-havyn</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[freedom from fragrance]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 04 Mar 2026 16:12:04 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!sLB-!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F00db8cc1-e7ba-4d41-b3a9-bf9c637a996d_679x469.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!sLB-!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F00db8cc1-e7ba-4d41-b3a9-bf9c637a996d_679x469.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!sLB-!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F00db8cc1-e7ba-4d41-b3a9-bf9c637a996d_679x469.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!sLB-!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F00db8cc1-e7ba-4d41-b3a9-bf9c637a996d_679x469.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!sLB-!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F00db8cc1-e7ba-4d41-b3a9-bf9c637a996d_679x469.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!sLB-!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F00db8cc1-e7ba-4d41-b3a9-bf9c637a996d_679x469.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!sLB-!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F00db8cc1-e7ba-4d41-b3a9-bf9c637a996d_679x469.png" width="429" height="296.319587628866" 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!sLB-!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F00db8cc1-e7ba-4d41-b3a9-bf9c637a996d_679x469.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!sLB-!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F00db8cc1-e7ba-4d41-b3a9-bf9c637a996d_679x469.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!sLB-!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F00db8cc1-e7ba-4d41-b3a9-bf9c637a996d_679x469.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!sLB-!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F00db8cc1-e7ba-4d41-b3a9-bf9c637a996d_679x469.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>This one is special. You know that moment when you find a product that feels like it was made specifically for you. Like someone sat down and said, &#8220;what if we made something luxurious and clean and safe and beautiful &#8212; and why don&#8217;t we go ahead and label it clearly?&#8221;</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><p></p><p>That&#8217;s exactly what <a href="https://amzn.to/4beTqzx">Havyn Co. did with their Comforting Collagen Hand Cream</a> &#8212; and we are obsessed. We love that this hand cream is formulated without the 80 EU fragrance allergens and the top 9 food allergens. It surpasses EU cosmetic standards by excluding 1,600+ restricted ingredients. It&#8217;s been clinically tested on sensitive skin, dermatologist tested, and tested by a panel of 12+ eczema-diagnosed consumers. This isn&#8217;t a brand slapping &#8220;clean&#8221; on a label and calling it a day. Okkkkkk <a href="https://amzn.to/4beTqzx">Havyn</a>. We see you. This is the exact kind of brand we want more of.</p><p>The formula itself is doing a lot &#8212; marine-derived vegan collagen for elasticity, ectoin to restore the skin barrier and reduce roughness, and snow mushroom extract for deep hydration. And at $24 (at time of post) it&#8217;s an accessible luxury. It comes in three beautiful &#8220;scents&#8221; &#8212; Hope, Grace, and Wake &#8212; each formulated without the 80 EU fragrance allergens, so you can actually enjoy a scented product without the anxiety spiral. Full ingredient disclosure is on their website.</p><p>Not only are the products and packaging gorgeous, they feel elevated too. Transparency! Labeling! It&#8217;s the dream. Your hands will be happy. Your eyes will be happy. Hats off to <a href="https://amzn.to/4beTqzx">Havyn</a>.  </p><p>Have you tried<a href="https://amzn.to/4aRVGwf"> Havyen&#8217;s hand cream</a>? Do you know of others like this? Share your thoughts in the comments</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Mask On, Fragrance Off: Fragrance-Free Face Masks on Our Radar]]></title><description><![CDATA[Finally some fragrance-free face masks worth getting excited about (and one to skip):]]></description><link>https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/p/mask-on-fragrance-off-fragrance-free</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/p/mask-on-fragrance-off-fragrance-free</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[freedom from fragrance]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 25 Feb 2026 18:04:42 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3w3P!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F63bc0b50-f2b3-4a8c-a4f6-72dc47100883_679x469.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3w3P!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F63bc0b50-f2b3-4a8c-a4f6-72dc47100883_679x469.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3w3P!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F63bc0b50-f2b3-4a8c-a4f6-72dc47100883_679x469.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3w3P!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F63bc0b50-f2b3-4a8c-a4f6-72dc47100883_679x469.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3w3P!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F63bc0b50-f2b3-4a8c-a4f6-72dc47100883_679x469.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3w3P!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F63bc0b50-f2b3-4a8c-a4f6-72dc47100883_679x469.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3w3P!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F63bc0b50-f2b3-4a8c-a4f6-72dc47100883_679x469.png" width="483" height="333.6185567010309" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/63bc0b50-f2b3-4a8c-a4f6-72dc47100883_679x469.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:469,&quot;width&quot;:679,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:483,&quot;bytes&quot;:228516,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/i/189151873?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F63bc0b50-f2b3-4a8c-a4f6-72dc47100883_679x469.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3w3P!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F63bc0b50-f2b3-4a8c-a4f6-72dc47100883_679x469.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3w3P!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F63bc0b50-f2b3-4a8c-a4f6-72dc47100883_679x469.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3w3P!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F63bc0b50-f2b3-4a8c-a4f6-72dc47100883_679x469.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3w3P!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F63bc0b50-f2b3-4a8c-a4f6-72dc47100883_679x469.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Anyone ever started their Sunday unwind by putting on a face mask, then spent the next 20 minutes on high alert </p><p>&#8212;  because even though you read the ingredients closely, you still can't tell if that's a <em>normal</em> tingle or a <em>run-to-the-sink</em> tingle?</p><p>Luckily, the fragrance-free mask market is having a moment, and there are some genuinely great ones out there. Whether you&#8217;re dealing with eczema, rosacea, skin sensitivity, asthma, or you&#8217;re just done putting mystery ingredients on your face &#8212; this list is for you.  </p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><p></p><h4><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/3MIAYaa">PEACE OUT</a></strong><a href="https://amzn.to/3MIAYaa"><br>Overnight Barrier Hydrating Bio-Collagen Recovery Mask</a></h4><p>FFF Rating: 4/5</p><p>We liked this Korean-inspired mask more than we thought we would &#8212; as we've had mixed results with other Peace Out products. In this case we felt shiny and new in the morning&#8230; maybe even younger? The only reason this isn't a full 5 stars is that sleeping in the mask stressed us out a little. Turned out fine, and it's something we could definitely get used to. With time this rating could easily go to five.</p><h4><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/4s8iyhQ">NEUTROGENA</a> </strong><a href="https://amzn.to/4s8iyhQ"><br>Hydro Boost Hydrating Hydrogel Mask</a></h4><p>FFF Rating: 2/5</p><p>We love Neutrogena &#8212; she's the OG clean product queen. And while we 100% trust that the products are as listed, the Hydro Boost line just doesn't mesh with our skin. Instead of hydrating, it dries us out. Could just be us, though &#8212; if the other Hydro Boost products work well for you, we think you'll love this mask. Unfortunately we won't be repurchasing, even though the price point is solid for the category.</p><h4><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/4r0rCVk">Dr Jarts+</a></strong><a href="https://amzn.to/4r0rCVk"><br>Ceramidin&#8482; Skin Barrier Moisturizing Face Mask</a></h4><p>FFF Rating: Not Fragrance-Free</p><p>The non-rating on this Korean mask favorite is on us. We kept seeing it pop up on roundup lists for sensitive skin, including in research for this very article. But after having a (minor) reaction, we took a deeper look at the ingredients and no longer feel comfortable recommending it. Including it here so others don't get duped.</p><h4><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/4rVeulL">LOOPS</a></strong><a href="https://amzn.to/4rVeulL"><br>Dew Cloud Ultra Hydrating Hydrogel Clean Face Mask</a></h4><p>FFF Rating: 5/5</p><p>This Korean favorite came in strong. It's cooling, not too mucky, and stays in place. We felt dewy and glowy after using it &#8212; and we'd recommend putting it on in the morning so your skin gets to show off. It gave us a similar level of hydration as the Peace Out mask, without the stress of sleeping in it. The oval packaging is chic.  Would make a great gift for the mask lovers in your circle. As for us, we've already bought it in bulk.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!BuFb!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe458f95f-a48d-4083-92d7-2a151474e99d_679x469.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!BuFb!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe458f95f-a48d-4083-92d7-2a151474e99d_679x469.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!BuFb!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe458f95f-a48d-4083-92d7-2a151474e99d_679x469.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!BuFb!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe458f95f-a48d-4083-92d7-2a151474e99d_679x469.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!BuFb!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe458f95f-a48d-4083-92d7-2a151474e99d_679x469.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!BuFb!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe458f95f-a48d-4083-92d7-2a151474e99d_679x469.png" width="477" height="329.4742268041237" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/e458f95f-a48d-4083-92d7-2a151474e99d_679x469.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:469,&quot;width&quot;:679,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:477,&quot;bytes&quot;:232455,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/i/189151873?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe458f95f-a48d-4083-92d7-2a151474e99d_679x469.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!BuFb!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe458f95f-a48d-4083-92d7-2a151474e99d_679x469.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!BuFb!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe458f95f-a48d-4083-92d7-2a151474e99d_679x469.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!BuFb!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe458f95f-a48d-4083-92d7-2a151474e99d_679x469.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!BuFb!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe458f95f-a48d-4083-92d7-2a151474e99d_679x469.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Curious about your favorite fragrance-free masks &#8212; the ones that are actually safe for a self-care treat. Drop your picks (or the ones that need investigating) in the comments. &#128071;</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><p></p><p><em>**While we paid for the products ourselves, the affiliate links help us keep investigating.**</em>  </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[I'm Back! ]]></title><description><![CDATA[(And I discovered an online Beauty Shopping Hack)]]></description><link>https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/p/im-back</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/p/im-back</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[freedom from fragrance]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 06 Jul 2025 22:28:03 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/3a5c807b-1544-4512-b384-6bcf01a72d7a_220x220.gif" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Veo7!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbf52995c-fdae-4379-9d01-69cdfdbe5311_220x220.gif" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Veo7!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbf52995c-fdae-4379-9d01-69cdfdbe5311_220x220.gif 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Veo7!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbf52995c-fdae-4379-9d01-69cdfdbe5311_220x220.gif 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Veo7!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbf52995c-fdae-4379-9d01-69cdfdbe5311_220x220.gif 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Veo7!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbf52995c-fdae-4379-9d01-69cdfdbe5311_220x220.gif 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Veo7!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbf52995c-fdae-4379-9d01-69cdfdbe5311_220x220.gif" width="320" height="320" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/bf52995c-fdae-4379-9d01-69cdfdbe5311_220x220.gif&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:220,&quot;width&quot;:220,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:505115,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/gif&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/i/167678747?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbf52995c-fdae-4379-9d01-69cdfdbe5311_220x220.gif&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Veo7!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbf52995c-fdae-4379-9d01-69cdfdbe5311_220x220.gif 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Veo7!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbf52995c-fdae-4379-9d01-69cdfdbe5311_220x220.gif 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Veo7!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbf52995c-fdae-4379-9d01-69cdfdbe5311_220x220.gif 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Veo7!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbf52995c-fdae-4379-9d01-69cdfdbe5311_220x220.gif 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><p></p><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Freedom from Fragrance is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div><p>My bad on the lull, friends &#8211; but I'm back and ready to make this newsletter a thing this summer. Teaser: I'm researching 'affordable' sheet masks in the background (fragrance-free ones, obviously) and well, it could be worse.</p><p>Quick PSA while I'm here: I stumbled across something that's changing my beauty shopping game.</p><p>While ingredient lists are still indecipherable and labeling is nowhere near where we need it, I discovered that some websites have made 'fragrance-free' searchable! Some sites are better than others, but it still saves you a ton of time. Instead of playing detective with every product page, I can just click one button and boom &#8211; only stuff I can actually use. It's such a simple thing, but it's helpful for me to narrow what I can use (even if I don't actually purchase the product on that site).</p><p>Sephora, Ulta, and a few others have caught on to this, and honestly, it's about time.</p><p>Anyone else find any good beauty shopping shortcuts lately? Always looking for ways to make this whole process less of a treasure hunt.</p><p>Back to my sheet mask research&#8230;. (pls comment with your favs! )</p><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Freedom from Fragrance is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[What is Freedom from Fragrance?]]></title><description><![CDATA[New here? See why you should join our FFF community.]]></description><link>https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/p/what-is-freedom-from-fragrance</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/p/what-is-freedom-from-fragrance</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[freedom from fragrance]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 22 Jan 2025 19:38:06 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!cM5q!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fce7f6f45-b54b-4792-9e30-f5d856469c56_784x628.gif" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Subscribe if any these any of these buckets have you nodding along:</p><ul><li><p>You have (or someone you love has) sensitive skin, eczema, rosacea, asthma (all conditions linked to fragrance allergies) and/or prefer cleaner products.  </p></li><li><p>There&#8217;s a market need for fragrance-free product lines ( labeled accordingly!) the beauty, home and self-care spaces.</p></li><li><p>You want to know about the<em> best</em> fragrance-free products available, and brands that are already catering to us, and you&#8217;d like to be in the loop when new options roll out.</p></li><li><p>You wonder why the FDA doesn't mandate beauty/home/wellness products to disclose ingredients in their formulas. (BANANAS!) We are dedicated keeping you informed and sharing solutions.</p></li><li><p>You&#8217;re seeking an information hub to help eliminate fragrance from your home and self-care/beauty routines and a vocal community to turn to for support/advice because freedom from fragrance is hard.</p></li></ul><p></p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!cM5q!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fce7f6f45-b54b-4792-9e30-f5d856469c56_784x628.gif" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!cM5q!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_lossy/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fce7f6f45-b54b-4792-9e30-f5d856469c56_784x628.gif 424w, 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stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p></p><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[My Story, Part 2 ]]></title><description><![CDATA[A crash course in patch testing and why fragrance allergies are trending to be the new gluten-allergy.]]></description><link>https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/p/my-story-part-2</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/p/my-story-part-2</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[freedom from fragrance]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 10 Dec 2024 18:27:29 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7tnp!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1e65be33-f076-4118-944c-b6e3070053ba_702x662.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><p>In my previous post, I shared that after years of avoiding eczema flare-ups, I experienced the worst outbreak of my life during a hotel stay on a work trip. At the time, I didn't know what had triggered the spread of thick, itchy skin that quickly moved from my face to my chest.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7tnp!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1e65be33-f076-4118-944c-b6e3070053ba_702x662.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7tnp!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1e65be33-f076-4118-944c-b6e3070053ba_702x662.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7tnp!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1e65be33-f076-4118-944c-b6e3070053ba_702x662.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7tnp!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1e65be33-f076-4118-944c-b6e3070053ba_702x662.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7tnp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1e65be33-f076-4118-944c-b6e3070053ba_702x662.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7tnp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1e65be33-f076-4118-944c-b6e3070053ba_702x662.png" width="702" height="662" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/1e65be33-f076-4118-944c-b6e3070053ba_702x662.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:662,&quot;width&quot;:702,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:751663,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7tnp!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1e65be33-f076-4118-944c-b6e3070053ba_702x662.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7tnp!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1e65be33-f076-4118-944c-b6e3070053ba_702x662.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7tnp!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1e65be33-f076-4118-944c-b6e3070053ba_702x662.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7tnp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1e65be33-f076-4118-944c-b6e3070053ba_702x662.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>After finding a new dermatologist, she recommended that I undergo patch testing as a way to determine what exactly my skin came in contact with that led to the aforementioned pain and suffering.</p><p>So, what is patch testing? Basically a nurse draws a grid on your back with a sharpie and tapes down samples of possible allergens (based on lifestyle questionnaire given by your doctor) within each square. If your skin adversely reacts within a certain square, you learn that whatever was put there is an allergen to you. I had my patch testing done at <a href="https://nyulangone.org/care-services/dermatology/allergic-contact-dermatology-services">NYU Langone</a> in Manhattan.</p><p>Based on my history, my dermatologist wanted to test a couple hundred things. (Yay!) And because my insurance wasn&#8217;t willing to pay for all the tests at once, I did several rounds of tests over the course of a few weeks. (Double, yay!) Each test lasts 3-4 days. You aren&#8217;t allowed to shower. It&#8217;s itchy. And your back feels stiff because of all the tape that keeps the patches in place. It's not an amazing experience, but for me, patch testing was the unlock that has ultimately helped me navigate (and avoid) the allergens that historically set my skin ablaze.</p><h2>Pro Tip:<strong> </strong>Patch testing is best paired with sweater weather. Consider not doing this in July like I did. </h2><p>A week later I learned I had a handful of allergies I never knew about. The top three culprits in severity were Balsam of Peru, Sodium Metabisulfite and Benzoyl Peroxide. What are those things, and what do they have in common? They are all tied to fragrance. They're found in personal care, home care and cosmetic products. All. The. Time.</p><p>Products like: Face Wash, Face Cream, Face Serums, Sun Screen, Chapstick, Most Make-up, Body Wash, Body Lotions, Body Spray, Hand Soap, Hand Cream, Foot Cream, Deodorant, Contact Solution, Eye Drops, Laundry Detergent, Dish Detergent, Dish Soap, Household Cleaning Products, Shampoo, Dry Shampoo, Conditioner, Hair Masks, Hair Dye, Styling Products&#8230; </p><p>&#8230;You see where I&#8217;m going here. Companies believe fragrance enhances the user experience &#8211; an assumed benefit they can charge extra for. The kicker? The FDA does not require companies to list all the ingredients used in fragrances even though they are overwhelmingly in everything and millions of us are sensitive to these chemicals.</p><h2>Companies believe fragrance enhances the user experience &#8211; an assumed benefit they can charge extra for. </h2><p>And what was it at the hotel that attacked my skin? The &#8216;luxury&#8217; hair care product bottle, courtesy of the hotel. That stuff was swimming in Balsam of Peru, Sodium Metabisulfite and Benzoyl Peroxide. And I will never be using rando products again. Regardless of how free they are or how cute the packaging.</p><p>My next step was to go through all the products I already had and see which I could continue safely using based on their ingredient list. (Spoiler: The majority of my beloved cosmetics, self-care splurges, and home cleaning products needed re-homing.) The process felt overly complicated. The lists are in scientific terminology which is hard to read. Also some products' ingredients lists were on long-ago-discarded boxes, not the products themselves, which meant I needed to reach out to the companies to see if I could continue using them.</p><h2>The majority of my beloved cosmetics, self care splurges, and home cleaning products sadly needed re-homing.</h2><p>These, days prior to buying a new product, I reach out to the company to see if it&#8217;s safe to use. It is the sanest way I&#8217;ve found to move forward unless the product already says &#8220;Fragrance-Free&#8221; on it. I&#8217;m very grateful to the companies that are already doing this and look forward to the day it&#8217;s more commonplace.</p><h2>That's why I see fragrance allergies as the gluten intolerance of the 2020s.</h2><p>It was the early aughts when I (personally) first heard of gluten allergies. Those who are newly diagnosed quickly learn how ubiquitous gluten is. I experienced that same daunting feeling when I got my diagnosis. An overwhelming panic trying to figure out what products I can now use in my home, with my kids, and on myself. That's why I see fragrance allergies as the gluten intolerance of the 2020s. And I&#8217;m excited to look ahead to where gluten awareness has gotten today. Specialty products grocery stores, farmers markets, pizzerias and bakeries. Entire product lines dedicated to being gluten-free. Menus kindly alerting folks to what they can safely eat. I&#8217;m looking forward to a future with as many accommodations as our gluten-free friends.</p><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Freedom from Fragrance is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[My Story, Part 1]]></title><description><![CDATA[How a hotel stay took me out of the fragrance game forever.]]></description><link>https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/p/my-freedom-from-fragrance-story-part</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/p/my-freedom-from-fragrance-story-part</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[freedom from fragrance]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 10 Dec 2024 17:13:41 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7c23076f-d91f-4701-a4fc-62f7ab1ead5a_400x506.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><p>I've lived with eczema&#8230;always. Growing up, I experienced it as the thick skin behind my knees and inside my elbows. As I got older, my eczema appeared as dark patches on my face, and in other inconvenient and unflattering places. In the winter my eyelids would get so flaky that I couldn't put shadow on them (not that this stopped me as a teenager).</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!s4JJ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7c23076f-d91f-4701-a4fc-62f7ab1ead5a_400x506.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!s4JJ!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7c23076f-d91f-4701-a4fc-62f7ab1ead5a_400x506.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!s4JJ!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7c23076f-d91f-4701-a4fc-62f7ab1ead5a_400x506.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!s4JJ!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7c23076f-d91f-4701-a4fc-62f7ab1ead5a_400x506.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!s4JJ!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7c23076f-d91f-4701-a4fc-62f7ab1ead5a_400x506.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!s4JJ!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7c23076f-d91f-4701-a4fc-62f7ab1ead5a_400x506.png" width="400" height="506" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/7c23076f-d91f-4701-a4fc-62f7ab1ead5a_400x506.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:506,&quot;width&quot;:400,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:419272,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!s4JJ!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7c23076f-d91f-4701-a4fc-62f7ab1ead5a_400x506.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!s4JJ!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7c23076f-d91f-4701-a4fc-62f7ab1ead5a_400x506.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!s4JJ!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7c23076f-d91f-4701-a4fc-62f7ab1ead5a_400x506.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!s4JJ!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7c23076f-d91f-4701-a4fc-62f7ab1ead5a_400x506.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>The National Eczema Association believes a little over 10% of the U.S. population has some form of eczema, and 223 million people are living with it globally. The NEA also reports that as of 2022, one quarter of children under 18 were diagnosed with eczema &#8212; which is a strikingly high prevalence. </p><p>When it came to my eczema, I knew I had a problem. The dermatologists I saw growing up typically recommended a mixture of steroid creams and instructed me to shower less, and when I did to do so in lukewarm water. (Cold showers? No, thanks.) While I had flair-ups I managed till my mid-30s without eczema taking over my life.</p><p>Then, in one incident, my eczema returned to slap me in the face. I was away from home, on a work trip. I had an unfortunate and epic reaction to <em>something</em>. I woke up rubbing my eyes, only to discover the skin on my face and neck had grown so thick with inflammation that it hurt to move. I can&#8217;t convey how uncomfortable this was, only that I never wish to experience it again. I was physically and emotionally wrecked in a way I hadn't felt before.</p><h1>I can&#8217;t convey how uncomfortable this was, only that I never wish to experience it again. </h1><p>Once I was back home, I plunged into a new journey. Found a new dermatologist. To better understand my reaction, the doctor encouraged me to undergo patch testing &#8212; something she was surprised I had never done before given that my eczema was clinically bad.</p><p>Patch testing would eventually reveal that exposure to something in that hotel room &#8212; something seemingly innocuous &#8212; triggered the eczema flare-up. My story continues in the next post.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Freedom from Fragrance]]></title><description><![CDATA[Living fragrance-free shouldn't be as hard as it is when it effects millions Americans. Follow along as we disrupt fragrance in the home & beauty product space.]]></description><link>https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/p/freedom-from-fragrance</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/p/freedom-from-fragrance</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[freedom from fragrance]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 10 Dec 2024 16:52:03 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F60a8ef49-ebf9-44a4-a3c3-ed1d1a61271f_656x744.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Freedom from Fragrance is reader supported! Regardless of if you pay or follow for free we appreciate you subscribing to keep our disruption going!</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><p>I'm two years into freeing myself from fragrance. According to the ADA (American Academy of Dermatology), I'm one of 2.5 million Americans living with allergies and sensitivities brought on by exposure to chemical fragrances. A number that's growing. Of those countless people, many don't even know that fragrance adversely affects their skin. And I can confidently say that no one who does know they are sensitive to fragrance finds these chemicals easy to avoid. Because fragrance&#8212;she's in EVERYTHING.</p><p>I get it! Good smells <em>are</em> nice. But this assumed product benefit has quietly become intertwined with so many of our daily routines. It's taken for granted at this point that everything from our face wash to fabric softener will include a form of chemical fragrance. And that means ditching fragrance is way harder than it should be for people like me.</p><p>My goal is to make eliminating fragrance much, MUCH easier than it is at the moment. Companies are leery of disclosing what goes into their products because FDA regulations don't require them to share exact ingredients. It's unclear what's actually in the products we are using. I think it's reasonable to want to understand if I'm allergic to a product I'M RUBBING ON MY FACE. When I do reach out (which I've done for all the brands in my home&#8212;ugh), most resist confirming if I can safely use their products. This. Is. CRAZY!</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!BkSj!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F60a8ef49-ebf9-44a4-a3c3-ed1d1a61271f_656x744.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!BkSj!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F60a8ef49-ebf9-44a4-a3c3-ed1d1a61271f_656x744.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!BkSj!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F60a8ef49-ebf9-44a4-a3c3-ed1d1a61271f_656x744.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!BkSj!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F60a8ef49-ebf9-44a4-a3c3-ed1d1a61271f_656x744.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!BkSj!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F60a8ef49-ebf9-44a4-a3c3-ed1d1a61271f_656x744.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!BkSj!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F60a8ef49-ebf9-44a4-a3c3-ed1d1a61271f_656x744.png" width="656" height="744" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/60a8ef49-ebf9-44a4-a3c3-ed1d1a61271f_656x744.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:744,&quot;width&quot;:656,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:917928,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!BkSj!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F60a8ef49-ebf9-44a4-a3c3-ed1d1a61271f_656x744.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!BkSj!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F60a8ef49-ebf9-44a4-a3c3-ed1d1a61271f_656x744.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!BkSj!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F60a8ef49-ebf9-44a4-a3c3-ed1d1a61271f_656x744.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!BkSj!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F60a8ef49-ebf9-44a4-a3c3-ed1d1a61271f_656x744.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Because of this, I fear using unknown products. Consider something like a hotel shampoo, which I now know caused an epic flare-up a few years ago that wrecked my skin. (More on my own story in an upcoming post.) What's inside that little bottle will put my skin into full-on panic mode&#8212;but that's only the beginning. In the aftermath of the allergic reaction, I suffer from dark patches that my skin takes months or years to recover from.</p><p>I want to enable a future where consumers who care can make informed and safe product choices for their skin and homes. I want us to have access to the same information and accommodations my nut and gluten (and other food) allergen friends have. Clearer labeling of "fragrance-free" front and center on the label. (Please stop making me bring a magnifying glass to Sephora to read ingredient lists.) Freedom from Fragrance is about disrupting the home, beauty, and wellness market until we get the shelf space that we deserve! Companies need to know we are out here, that we are a huge market, and that we want our own line of fragrance-free products if they don't have them already</p><h1>...it's reasonable to want to understand if I'm allergic to a product I'M RUBBING ON MY FACE.</h1><p>Of course, change takes time. Expanding choice and fostering transparency are long-term goals. As this movement makes strides, Freedom from Fragrance will also be a space to learn helpful tips and information, as well as a space to discover exemplary products available now that are already catering to us.</p><p>So please subscribe to the newsletter, follow Freedom from Fragrance on social, and (this one is critical) get in touch with questions, comments, ideas for posts, research you want us to dive into, or products you'd like us to investigate, and brands you swear by. We are starting this community as a place to share information. (Because at the moment, it's isolating to get a fragrance allergy diagnosis.) Let's free ourselves from fragrance together instead.</p><div><hr></div><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://karenjdsouza.substack.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Freedom from Fragrance is reader supported! Regardless of if you pay or follow for free we appreciate you subscribing to keep our disruption going!</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item></channel></rss>