In 2018, I was always at least a little congested and sniffly. I had some brain fog. I got headaches more than I felt like I should.

I chalked it up to startup stress and lots of travel.

Then, my friend Andrew Herr at Fount told me to go entirely fragrance-free for a month.

He’s brilliant, and I love experimenting. So I did it.

Two days in, I started to wonder if I was feeling a difference.

A week in, I was sure something was going on.

A week after that, I knew I was never going back.

Now, six years out, I believe it’s one of the most impactful health changes I’ve ever made. It cleared up the constant low-level congestion, sniffles, headaches, brain fog — all of it.

At this point, I’ve lost track of how many people I’ve recommended this to who say the same.

Here’s the experiement I think everyone should try:

Go entirely fragrance-free for a month. That means:

  • unscented deoderant
  • unscented laundry detergent and dryer sheets
  • unscented hand wash
  • unscented cleaning supplies
  • unscented body wash, shampoo, and conditioner
  • unscented lotion
  • no scented candles
  • no perfume or cologne
  • no air freshners
  • and no scented trash bags or anything else — you’ll realize quickly if you missed anything

Sound overwhelming? It’s not that bad. This guide has a list of products to swap / buy — just scroll to the “Eliminating Fragrances” page.

Our bodies are simply not meant to be exposed to so many fragrances — especially artificial ones.

Give it a shot. I bet you’ll notice a difference.

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