Why our perfumes may look cloudy, by design, and just as nature intended.

If you are a longtime Vered Organic Botanicals aficionada, you may already be familiar with my story (click). For over three decades, I have researched and worked with the impact of scent on the limbic system, aka the part of the brain responsible for emotion, memory, and hormonal regulation. If you wish to explore that work more deeply, you can do so here (click) and (here).

Today, I wanted to take the time to answer some of the most common questions we receive about our artisanal, functional perfumes, and to clarify what truly sets 100% organic, synthetic-free perfumery apart.

 

Q: What makes Vered Organic Botanicals different from mainstream, conventional perfumes?

At Vered Organic Botanicals, our commitment is simple and unwavering: we create 100% organic, synthetic-free perfumes, crafted artisanally in small batches using premium botanical raw materials, exactly as nature intended.

Our perfumes are composed exclusively of organic essential oils, absolutes, resins, CO₂ extracts, and organic grape alcohol. Nothing lab-engineered. Nothing artificial. No hidden “fragrance” blends.

What you smell comes directly from plants,  pure, vibrant, and alive, carrying not only aroma, but the full complexity of naturally occurring plant compounds that interact intimately with the human nervous system.

 

Q: Why is it so hard to tell truly natural perfumes from synthetic ones today?

This is one of the biggest misconceptions in modern perfumery.

Terms such as “natural,” “clean,” “green,” or “botanical” are unregulated and often used loosely in marketing. Many perfumes that suggest naturality still contain synthetic aroma chemicals, frequently concealed under the single word “fragrance” on an ingredient list. Many perfumes labeled “clean” in mainstream and even niche beauty retailers still rely heavily on synthetic components.

To complicate matters further, many scents we associate with nature, such as musk, amber, jasmine, or violet, are commonly recreated using synthetic molecules for stability, cost, or consistency. This blurs the line between authentic botanical perfumery and lab-made fragrance. As a result, truly 100% natural perfumes become visually and verbally indistinguishable from synthetic blends, even though they require greater care, deeper sourcing knowledge, and true artisanal craftsmanship.

 

Q: From a health perspective, why should people choose fully natural perfumes?

Switching to pure, natural perfumes is a simple yet meaningful way to reduce daily exposure to synthetic aroma chemicals, fixatives, and stabilizers commonly used in mainstream fragrances.

Natural perfumes are composed of essential oils, absolutes, resins, and botanical solvents,materials with long histories of human use and well-characterized aromatic profiles. This transparency allows individuals, particularly those with sensitivities, to more easily identify and avoid specific ingredients.

From a neurological perspective, scent is unique among the senses: it travels directly to the limbic system, bypassing cognitive filters and influencing emotional response, stress perception, and memory almost instantaneously. Because natural perfumes contain complex, biologically familiar aromatic compounds, they tend to interact with the limbic system in a gentler, more nuanced way, supporting emotional balance rather than overwhelming the senses. Natural perfumes are also typically worn closer to the skin and in lighter concentrations, making them feel softer, more intimate, and deeply personal.

While natural does not automatically mean risk-free, those who choose 100% natural perfumes often do so as part of a mindful, ingredient-aware approach to personal care and sensory wellbeing.

 

Q: Does “natural” mean simpler?

Not at all, and this is where confusion often arises.

Natural perfumes can be extraordinarily complex: a single essential oil may contain hundreds of naturally occurring aromatic compounds. Synthetic perfumes, by contrast, often rely on isolated, single molecules engineered for consistency and longevity.

I chose natural perfumery not because it is easier, but because it offers authenticity, depth, and a living connection between plant, body, and mind, something that cannot be replicated synthetically.

 

Q: What makes wearing a natural perfume different?

Natural perfumes are alive.

They evolve on the skin, responding to body chemistry, temperature, mood, and environment. Rather than projecting loudly or remaining static, they settle gently, soften, and unfold over time.

This creates a scent experience that feels:

• Intimate rather than overpowering
• Personal rather than generic
• Dynamic rather than linear
• high-vibrational, elevating and without any health risks

Because scent communicates directly with the limbic system, this evolution fosters a sense of presence and emotional resonance rather than sensory overload. Sticking to natural scents also avoids disturbing people around you who are sensitive or sick. Synthetic perfumes are problematic both for human and environment. You also support independent business, honoring genuine natural perfumery, its authenticity, traceability, and artistry.

 

 

Q: Why do your perfumes look cloudy?

The slight cloudiness you may notice is completely natural, and actually a positive sign.

It comes from pure, unaltered plant extracts. Our perfumes contain real botanical materials that may include:

• Natural waxes
• Resins
• Essential oil components
• Microscopic traces of petals, herbs, and antioxidant-rich compounds

Many commercial perfumes are heavily filtered and stripped until they appear crystal clear. We intentionally refuse to over-filter and strain, because we want to preserve the full spectrum of aromatic and therapeutic plant compounds. 

Think of it like a fresh, cold-pressed juice, the little cloudiness means it’s real. Cloudiness is a sign of:

• No processing and no straining
• Artisanal craftsmanship

To remove the cloudiness, just give a little shake before using. 

 

Q: Why don’t natural perfumes last as long as synthetic ones?

If you are accustomed to mainstream perfumes, this adjustment can take some time, but once you experience the difference, it's hard to go back to synthetics. Synthetic fragrances last longer because they often contain:

• Synthetic fixatives
• Artificial musks
• Chemical stabilizers
• Long-lasting fragrance solvents
• heavy metals

These ingredients are designed to cling to the skin for hours, but they do not align with our values. Some of these compounds have also been studied for their potential to interfere with hormonal signaling (endocrine disruptions), particularly with repeated daily exposure. Often, those ingredients are also cheap, low-vibrational, syhthetically-made to mimic real ingredients.  

By leaving them out, our perfumes behave the way true botanicals naturally do: aromatic, beautiful, subtle, and ephemeral.

If a scent fades softly rather than lasting all day, that is not a flaw, it is nature being nature: cyclical, alive, and ever-transforming.

 

Q: What do your natural perfumes do instead?

They harmonize with your body. Our perfumes are designed to:

• Blend with your natural scent
• Evolve throughout the day
• Feel grounding, uplifting soothing, and intimate - depending on the blend you choose.

The botanicals we use have long been valued in aromatherapy and herbal traditions for their ability to support emotional balance and nervous system regulation through olfactory pathways.

What you experience is a living fragrance: multidimensional, vibrant, and deeply personal.

Q: What do you guarantee?

Every Vered Organic Botanicals perfume is made with:

• 100% organic ingredients
• No synthetic fragrance chemicals
• No GMOs
• No artificial fixatives
• No heavy metals
• No petrochemicals
• No endocrine-disrupting fragrance compounds
• Minimal processing
• Plant-derived alcohol
• Sustainable sourcing
• Small-batch craftsmanship

Our perfumes are designed not to mask your scent, but to dance with your body chemistry.

 

Q: What does “full-spectrum botanical oils” mean?

It means we preserve the entire aromatic profile of the plant.

Our perfumes may contain microscopic traces of:

• Natural plant waxes
• Resins
• Antioxidant compounds
• Petal and herb extracts

We work exclusively with organic essential oils, absolutes, resins, and CO₂ extracts, and organic grape alcohol (drinkable grade) allowing the plant to express itself fully without stripping away its intelligence, only to maximize its potency. Nothing lab-engineered, nothing artificial, nothing hidden.

Q: What are some key botanicals you work with?

Rose, the queen of flowers

Rare, precious, and profoundly soothing. Thousands of petals are required to produce a single gram of rose oil. Rich, romantic, and emotionally uplifting.

Jasmine, the queen of the night

Warm, sensual, and euphoric. Jasmine absolute is one of the most prized materials in natural perfumery, known for its mood-lifting and comforting qualities.

Vanilla, the great comforter

Soft, warm, and nurturing. Adds depth, sweetness, and a gentle sense of safety and ease.

Herbs & earth notes

Lavender, vetiver, davana, and other botanicals bring grounding, antioxidant-rich, aromatic compounds that connect scent to soil, root, and ritual.

Citrus, a burst of vitality

My top notes are usually citrus orange, tangerine, mandarin, litsea cubeba, grapefruit, while middle notes go from Ylang Ylng, rose, jasmine, palmarosa, clary sage, blue violet, davana. For bottom notes, vetiver, sandalwood and cedarwood. I do not use anything extracted from animals and I take great pride in being a cruelty-free, vegan brand. This is the reason I avoid musk (which comes from musk deer glands), civet (glands from civet cat), castoreum (extracted from beaver). Today these three ingredeients are used to give a warm, sensual and leathery aroma. They also come in synthetic form but I don't do synthetic either.

 

Q: What should I expect when I choose a Vered Organic Botanicals perfume?

Because our work is an ode to nature and living beauty, you may notice:

• Gentle cloudiness
• Subtle projection
• An evolving aroma

As aforemnetioned,these are not imperfections, but signs of life.

Natural perfumes may not last as long as synthetic ones, as the latter rely on engineered fixatives for longevity. This difference can take some getting used to, but many of our customers find the depth, authenticity, and emotional resonance of our fragrances to be a meaningful and worthwhile trade-off.

Every bottle we create is crafted with intention, love, and reverence for the plants we work with and the customers we work for. We care for both body and earth, honouring the intelligence and vibrancy of Mother Nature.

 

To discover our line of perfumes, and find out their unique properties, click here.