I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve held my breath while passing by a fellow hiker on a trail. As a scent-sensitive person, I can usually smell another person’s laundry detergent or deodorant when they’re about 100 metres away from me, and my senses aren’t nearly as attuned as an animal’s might be. It’s frustrating when I’m trying to take in the beautiful fresh air around me only to be smacked with a synthetic fragrance trying to mimic nature’s scent.

I get it; you’re getting your hike on, you’re nailing the incline and you start to feel the workout kick in. Sweat? No sweat. You know you’ve got your super-grade fragrant detergent lining your clothes and a pine-scented antiperspirant handy in your pack ready for moments like this. While it may seem harmless, your scented products have more of an impact on your hike than you think.

Can Synthetic Scents Attract Animals?

Photo by Alley L Biniarz

It’s been shown that scent deeply affects us as human-animals. According to studies, scent is a powerful trigger for our brains and can impact our mood, memory and behaviours. This is why it can sound an alarm for other humans and even other animals.

Wild animals’ sense of smell is even more heightened than ours. Bears and other wildlife present in areas can smell us from great distances, which of course provides a shield of safety when we want them to know we’re present. However, certain scents, like a berry-flavoured-this or apple-crumble-that, can peak a bear’s interest. Since fragrances are so potent these days and able to mimic many of nature’s scents, the bear may get curious and believe that they have scored themselves a sweet treat. Allowing our natural scent to shine through can keep us safe where wildlife is known to be present by alerting them that there are humans present.

How Are Fragrances Harmful to the Planet, Wildlife and People?

Photo by Alley L Biniarz

Synthetic fragrances are made to mimic natural scents but, really, they are made from a variety of substances, including petrochemicals. These ingredients are made from fossil fuels, which are non-renewable and harmful to the environment. These chemicals release VOCs (volatile organic compounds) into the air and contribute to air pollution, and can be harmful to humans and the surrounding environment. Since wildlife are so sensitive to scents, they’re also more likely to be negatively affected by our body care products.

“Fragrance” is the biggest culprit in conventional body care. Brands must disclose what is in their product except if it falls under the “fragrance loophole.” This is where a labelling law created a list of 3,000 plus ingredients that can be hidden under this umbrella term, and can even include some possible human carcinogens. Two other tricky ingredients found in products are “phthalates” and “parabens.” These chemicals are often used to make fragrances last longer and to prevent microbial growth. However, as these chemicals wash off of our clothing into the lakes we frequent on hikes, studies have shown that they can disrupt the hormonal systems of fish and other aquatic organisms, potentially leading to changes in their reproductive behaviours and overall health.

As much as it’s our choice what we wear on our own bodies, these substances can impact others while also disrupting the innocent ecosystems and biodiversity around us by affecting the health of wildlife. Although these animals are resilient, with more humans going further into nature, it’s harder for them to get away from the toxin load.

We Love the Outdoors, So Let’s Protect It

Photo by Alley L Biniarz

We’re all hitting the trails for the same reason: for the love of being outside. It’s a wonderful opportunity to connect to that call of the wild, ditch the scent and be one with nature! The best part? Everyone is in the same boat. We don’t need to smell our Sunday best to belong outdoors.

For those of us who aren’t ready to embrace our natural musk, there are some simple swaps we can make to hike scent-free, protect others and the planet, while still curbing body odour.

**Buy fragrance-free: **One of the simplest ways to make a switch is to buy within the same brand that you already do, just a fragrance-free one. This is an accessible step if you’re not sure where you start on a natural body care journey.

**Switch to natural fibres: **Switching your hiking clothing to natural fibres will greatly improve your scent. Synthetic fibres such as polyester are popular for workouts and hiking, however they hold in odours and encourage the need for stronger scents to overpower stagnant bacteria trapped in the fabrics. Although I personally love organic cotton and linen for the breathability, if you want a similar feel to polyester, tencel and bamboo are two great options. They have a similar stretchy and comfortable feel, are natural, breathable fabrics and don’t hold in the odours!

**Swap for natural ingredients: **There are more and more ecologically minded products out there now at a variety of price-ranges, making it accessible for all. My personal favourite deodorant that I use is Routine. It’s protected me through long days of gardening, hiking and everything in between. For laundry, I use this Vancouver Island brand, Mint. It’s grown in popularity for a reason: it has basic ingredients, has a gentle, natural scent and really works.

**DIY: **DIY products are a great step for those who want to go a natural route but want to be mindful of budget. Many of the products I’ve mentioned have these key ingredients that can be purchased in bulk to make a long-lasting supply of your own:

1. Using bentonite clay as a base in a deodorant helps to clean your underarms, not just to mask scent. It’s known to restore our skin’s pH balance, bind to toxins and to draw out excess oil and dirt from pores.
2. Make your own magnesium spray by purchasing a package of magnesium chloride flakes. Magnesium deficiency can be a factor in stronger body odour and our bodies better absorb it through the skin! It can also help to neutralize odours without blocking sweat glands.
3. Add a scoop of baking soda to the wash. It helps whiten your whites while also freshening up your hiking clothing, without the strong after-scent. I also love using soap nuts for laundry—they are scent free, compostable and you can find them at most bulk stores.

Making some of these simple and easy swaps can help to protect the outdoor spaces that we all love, not contribute to more pollution in our environment and show kindness to our scent-sensitive hiking companions.

READ MORE: Editors’ Picks, environment, Hiking

Alley L. Biniarz

Alley L. Biniarz (she/her) has her hands in a dozen different creative endeavours – she is a singer, a dancer, an environmentalist and a poet. Alley uses her creative voice to bring awareness to environmental and feminist causes, and to help connect communities. Alley is also the founder of “Grown Lady Garments” – a hub for women to shop sustainably and to connect about creativity and sustainability.

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