Molly B
- Nov 12, 2023
- 4 min read

How to Naturally Make your Home Smell Like the Holidays

Apple pie, pumpkin spice, cinnamon and cloves…Is there a better time of year when it comes to cozy scents? Check out these 3 ways to naturally make your home smell delicious this Thanksgiving and holiday season without exposing your household to potentially toxic fumes.

Pura

Pura is a smart fragrance diffuser company that pledges to use only high quality and clean scents that are safe for children and pets. Their fragrances are perfectly balanced and you can easily control the timing and intensity of each scent using the Pura app on your phone. Pura is setting a higher standard in the home fragrance industry by formulating their scents with natural extractions while avoiding dangerous ingredients altogether. The company takes pride in their transparency policy, whereas most of their competition will hide dangerous chemical concoctions from consumers by using blanket terms on their labels like “fragrance”. Air freshener brands such as Febreze and Air Wick are notorious for adding harmful ingredients in their products including nasty phthalates, which can lead to serious health problems particularly in children and unborn babies. You can rest assured with the Pura Promise that you will never find any of the following ingredients in their scents:

Acetaldehyde

An irritating chemical that affects the throat, skin, eyes, and respiratory tract. This compound can also irritate your stomach to cause nausea and vomiting, or headaches.

BHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluene)

Known for affecting your lung function and blood coagulation. Often used as a preservative, BHT can cause liver, thyroid, and kidney problems.

Dichlorobenzene (1,4-DCB)

Causes nose and throat irritation, which leads to coughing and wheezing. This can also cause dizziness, swelling and aches of the head and eyes, and lead to an upset stomach.

Ethylhexanol

Irritating to your breathing tract, affecting the throat, mouth, and lungs. An alcohol that causes nausea and headaches.

Formaldehyde

Can lead to watery eyes and burning eyes, nose, and throat. Studies link formaldehyde to Lung Cancer, coughing and difficulty breathing, and skin irritation.

Methyl Pyrrolidone

Affects your stomach to cause pain and nausea, and also known to impair brain function to cause drowsiness and dizziness.

Parabens

Preservatives that disrupt hormones and affect birth outcomes. These can increase cancer risk and skin irritation.

Phthalates

Known as plasticizers, phthalates affect hormone levels. They also cause damage to your liver, kidneys, lungs, and reproductive systems.

Propylene Glycol

Is tied to causing seizures, vertigo, and nausea. This also irritates and causes rashes or itching and swelling to the face, tongue, and throat, and makes it difficult to take in air.

Right now my favorite Pura scent is White Pumpkin and I’m excited to try their new holiday fragrances. I have the Pura 3 model and am happy with it, but the Pura 4 is now available which features a newer sleek design and automatic fragrance detection so you don’t have to scan the label when inserting a new fragrance.

Uncommon James Candles

If you’re looking for trendy and classic jewelry that is well made but also affordable, you can’t do better than Kristin Cavallari’s Uncommon James collection. Her brand has taken off and has expanded to beauty products, home decor, and most notably the best candles you can get for your money’s worth. Uncommon James candles are made from 100% natural USA-grown soy wax, and are phthalate, paraben and dye free. They also feature cotton wicks that are free from lead and nickel. When shopping for candles it’s important to look for clean burning and nontoxic options like Uncommon James, especially now that we’re heading into the colder months and it’s harder to ventilate our homes. Several studies have shown that burning candles can worsen the indoor air quality of your home due to pollutants and toxins released from certain waxes. Black carbon, formaldehyde and benzene (a known carcinogen) are just to name a few, and these contaminants are most common in paraffin based candles. If a candle does not list its wax type, chances are it's likely made from paraffin wax. Also, many candles that are marketed as soy, beeswax, or coconut blends can still contain cheap paraffin in them. This is why you should always look for candles that are made of 100% soy, beeswax, or coconut wax, and not an unknown blend. The Uncommon James Pumpkin Latte Candle and Winter Fir Candle are the only 100% soy candles you’ll need this holiday season and they make perfect gifts too! You can purchase in either 4oz and 10oz sizes. Plus, if you sign up for their emails you can get 20% of your order!

Stovetop Potpourri

The most natural way to aromatize your home this holiday season also happens to be the most festive: making your own stovetop potpourri. Also called simmer pots, my mother-in-law introduced these to me and they are hands down the best way to fill your home with warm and inviting scents. They are also so easy to make! All you need is a small to medium sized pot or saucepan and ingredients like sliced oranges, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and cranberries. Simply combine your choice of ingredients with water and simmer on low. Before you know it, your house will smell like a Hallmark movie set! The best part about simmer pots is that you don’t have to worry about exposing your household to harmful fumes or smoke. In fact, they can actually help relieve colds and congestion by releasing moisture in the air. Simmer pots are also cost efficient because you likely already have a few ingredients in your pantry that you can use to throw a pot together. Below is a recipe to make your own holiday simmer pot!

Granbonnie’s Holiday Simmer Pot

Ingredients:

4 cups of water

2-3 cinnamon sticks

1 tablespoon of cloves or mulling spice mix (see links below)

1 large orange, sliced

Optional: cranberries, pine twigs, star anise, apple or pear slices

Instructions:

1. Add all of the ingredients to a small to medium sized saucepan on the stovetop

2. Add water and set to simmer on low

3. Be sure to check on your simmer pot occasionally. Never leave your pot unattended as the water will eventually evaporate and you do not want to scorch your pan. Simply add more water as needed.

Tips:

This mulling spice mix from Williams Sonoma and Amazon are some great choices to add to your simmer pot that throw off some fantastic scents!

If you are hosting a gathering and all of your stove top burners are being used, you can also heat your simmer pot in a slow cooker. This 1.5 Quart Festive Slow Cooker is the perfect little crockpot to take out during the holidays!

How to Naturally Make your Home Smell Like the Holidays

Apple pie, pumpkin spice, cinnamon and cloves…Is there a better time of year when it comes to cozy scents? Check out these 3 ways to naturally make your home smell delicious this Thanksgiving and holiday season without exposing your household to potentially toxic fumes.

Pura

Acetaldehyde

An irritating chemical that affects the throat, skin, eyes, and respiratory tract. This compound can also irritate your stomach to cause nausea and vomiting, or headaches.

BHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluene)

Known for affecting your lung function and blood coagulation. Often used as a preservative, BHT can cause liver, thyroid, and kidney problems.

Dichlorobenzene (1,4-DCB)

Causes nose and throat irritation, which leads to coughing and wheezing. This can also cause dizziness, swelling and aches of the head and eyes, and lead to an upset stomach.

Ethylhexanol

Irritating to your breathing tract, affecting the throat, mouth, and lungs. An alcohol that causes nausea and headaches.

Formaldehyde

Can lead to watery eyes and burning eyes, nose, and throat. Studies link formaldehyde to Lung Cancer, coughing and difficulty breathing, and skin irritation.

Methyl Pyrrolidone

Affects your stomach to cause pain and nausea, and also known to impair brain function to cause drowsiness and dizziness.

Parabens

Preservatives that disrupt hormones and affect birth outcomes. These can increase cancer risk and skin irritation.

Phthalates

Known as plasticizers, phthalates affect hormone levels. They also cause damage to your liver, kidneys, lungs, and reproductive systems.

Propylene Glycol

Is tied to causing seizures, vertigo, and nausea. This also irritates and causes rashes or itching and swelling to the face, tongue, and throat, and makes it difficult to take in air.

Uncommon James Candles

Stovetop Potpourri

Granbonnie’s Holiday Simmer Pot

Ingredients:

4 cups of water

2-3 cinnamon sticks

1 tablespoon of cloves or mulling spice mix (see links below)

1 large orange, sliced

Optional: cranberries, pine twigs, star anise, apple or pear slices

Instructions:

1. Add all of the ingredients to a small to medium sized saucepan on the stovetop

2. Add water and set to simmer on low

3. Be sure to check on your simmer pot occasionally. Never leave your pot unattended as the water will eventually evaporate and you do not want to scorch your pan. Simply add more water as needed.

Tips:

This mulling spice mix from Williams Sonoma and Amazon are some great choices to add to your simmer pot that throw off some fantastic scents!

If you are hosting a gathering and all of your stove top burners are being used, you can also heat your simmer pot in a slow cooker. This 1.5 Quart Festive Slow Cooker is the perfect little crockpot to take out during the holidays!

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