The perfume industry is invasive. Hundreds and hundreds of perfume bottles pervade space in department stores or pharmacies and we all know the feeling when someone else’s strong chemical scent invades our own personal space and tickles (or disturbs) our nose.

It was the legendary Coco Chanel who first brought perfume to the masses with her Chanel No 5. And with it she brought a sense of elegance and sophistication. Yet it was her world famous perfume that paved way for perfumes to be based on a collection of chemicals as opposed to essential oils.

Now, few make-up bags and dressing tables are free of at least one bottled chemically scent. We all love beautiful smells and the feeling of smelling beautiful, but there is evidence that some of perfume’s main ingredients, mostly petroleum dreived, contribute to and array of ailments including asthma, headaches, allergic skin conditions and nausea. Other ingredients, such as some synthetic musks have been linked to hormonal imbalances and may even be carcinogenic.

However, to make matters confusing, perfume producers are not legally bound to disclose what is in their perfume, making it harder to make informed decisions.

So, to keep you safe and sound and smelling divine, here is a list of the most glorious and pure perfumes you could get your nose around.

Strange Invisible Perfumes
From £120 at www.beingcontent.com
Strange Invisible Perfumes evoke feelings of being lost in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer’s Night Dream. Rich magical forests; the dust and darling dramatics of fairies and the potent flowers, herbs and plants that enrich this famous tale are all worshipped notes in this stunning collection of scents. Yet what makes Strange Invisible Perfumes the queen of the perfume crop is the wild crafted, organic, biodynamic and hydro-distilled (an ancient and gentle method of extracting essential oils that captures the key top notes of fragrance) ingredients that are traditionally combined to create deep and peaceful luxurious scents. Scent to remember: Magazine Street: light, liquid velvety romance from magnolia, vanilla, vetiver and botanical musk.

Sharini Perfumes
From 55 Euros at www.sharini.com
Organic and rich in essential oils, these perfumes are a beautiful and earthy collection of scents that are created with wild and fair trade ingredients. You can really smell the purity and simplicity of each and every perfume as they evoke thoughts of old apothecaries and memories of dream-kissed summer dusk. While Musc d’hibiscus is sweet and light, the scent to remember is Ambre essentiel. It is perfectly dark, golden and aromatic with a touch of vanilla sweetness.

TSI-LA
From £30 at www.puresha.com
Little bottles of perfume luxury in their most intimate and pure form, these scents are pocket-sized scented diamonds. Based on predominantly organic herbs, spices and fruits, they capture the elegance of nature: clear and beautiful. Plus each perfume is rich in antioxidants and minerals, making them a lovely remedy for weary wrists, necks and minds. A scent to remember is the Saqui: warming and kind, this perfume is deep with ginger, clove and nutmeg and iced with vanilla smiles.

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Les Fleurs de Bach Perfumes
From £44.50 at www.lesfleursdebach.co.uk
Les Fleurs de Bach Perfumes are not the purest of scents – but deserve a mention for their imaginative use of Bach flower remedies. Designed to balance out body and mind while giving a sense of protecting and love, each perfume has its own balancing properties. Perfume to remember: Eau de Parfum no.1. Light, citrusy and with the dance of soft rose and warm pine and oak, this perfume is calming, uplifting and the ultimate hangover cure – destined to be a party season favourite.

Willow Organic
From £30 at www.willowbeautyproducts.co.uk
Based on fruit, flower essence and purified water, the Willow Organic range of perfumes are beautifully uplifting and cooling. With a feminine and almost retro bottle, these light, pretty scents are the ultimate English country garden: green, sunny, cool and utterly lovely. Their scent to remember is the Rose Eau de Toilette for its mild sweetness and delicate softness. Wear it when it is raining and it’ll give you a real spring in your step.

Jo Wood Perfume
£36 at www.jowoodorganics.com
Organic and completely sustainable, Jo Wood’s heady and erotic scents are a glorious addition to the rising range of ecologically sound and healthy perfumes. While Amka (Swahili for ‘to wake’) is feverously complex yet deeply refreshing and uplifting; the scent to remember is Usiku (Swahili for ‘night’). Rich in hidden velvety scented gems, it is warming to the core with woody scents of vetiver and cedarwood; a beautiful temple of cardamom, coriander and clove and a seductive smile of vanilla. Usiku is a deep and dark scent for cloudy, heavy days, big scarves and black underwear: the perfect accompaniment to red seductive lips.

Marissa-Catherine Carrarini is proprietor of Snowsfields Wellness