• About
  • Login to comment
    • Facebook
    • RSS
    • Twitter

Now Smell This

a blog about perfume

Menu ▼
  • Perfume Reviews
  • New Perfumes
  • Perfumers
  • Perfume Houses
  • Shop for perfume
  • Resources

Seventh Generation ~ scented household cleaning products

Posted by Pia on 3 February 2008 17 Comments

Seventh Generation cleaning products

Of late, I have been consciously trying to switch most of my household cleaning products over to those made by eco-friendly companies. After several month's effort, I've become so unused to "chemical smell" that on the rare occasion I do use something full of chemicals, I find the harsh aroma harder to endure than I once did. The difference is really notable. And while at one point in the past, I would have assumed that in order to go 'natural' I would have to lower my expectations for the creativity/enjoyability factor, the new line of household products by Seventh Generation says otherwise.

Seventh Generation has updated their line of products; there are seven scents, and they all sound quite tempting: White Flower & Bergamot Citrus, Blue Eucalyptus & Lavender, Lemongrass & Clementine Zest, Lavender Floral & Mint, Emerald Cypress & Fir, Green Mandarin & Leaf, and Ruby Grapefruit & Herb. Their website maintains that they use only 'whole and pure plant and flower essences' with aromatherapeutic effects. I like the innovation behind their concept as well — the underlying vision is that of a tree, with the fragrances each corresponding to one of seven parts: roots, core, wood, seed, leaf, flower and fruit.

Two of my new staples are the White Flower & Bergamot and the Blue Eucalyptus & Lavender liquid laundry detergents. The White Flower & Bergamot is lovely and sheer, with "bergamot, petitgrain sur fleurs, blood orange and nutmeg CO2". The petitgrain sur fleurs (oil distilled from both the leaves and flowers of the citrus aurantium) is very generous, giving the fragrance a predominantly light citrus floral effect that is soothing and uplifting — the primary aromatherapeutic properties of neroli. Subtle hints of bergamot add a little depth rounded out by the warmth and spice of a very minimal nutmeg. It's such a delightful scent for a detergent that I have on occasion wondered if I could use it for a bubble bath. I find it quite feminine and love it for linens, delicates, and other more refined laundry loads. The detergent does a fine job cleaning, although with most Seventh Generation products I find I need to use a bit more than I would with a mainstream product.

For loads that call for something more robust, I switch to the Blue Eucalyptus & Lavender detergent. This one contains "A blend of lavender vera, lavandin, eucalyptus dives (peppermint gum), eucalyptus radiata, eucalyptus polybractea (blue mallee), and pine". It combines the calming and centering effects of lavender with the fresh pungency of eucalyptus and pine, leaving an overall sense of cleanliness and well-being in the laundry room. I like using it for socks and towels and anything else that might benefit from the disinfectant properties of these oils. Neither of these detergent scents linger much on clothing after it's been through the dryer (perhaps adding the matching fabric softeners would strengthen the scent), but I actually prefer it that way. ($14.39 for 100 fl. oz)

In the kitchen, I have come to appreciate the Lemongrass & Clementine Zest dishwashing liquid. This not-so-humbly scented dishwashing liquid contains "clementine, bergamot, blood orange, lemongrass, and elemi". It's very subtle; I can't smell much unless I'm right in the middle of doing the dishes standing above the steamy sink, and what I do get from it is the stalky green-ness of lemongrass combined with the particular peppery warmth of elemi. It's friendly and inviting, and easy to appreciate for not competing with the smell of cooking in the kitchen, nor adding any imposing synthetic overtones to the air around it.

The Lavender Floral & Mint version of the same product is also unusually scented for a dishwashing liquid, boasting "lime, lavender, ylang ylang complete, peppermint, and spearmint." The primary impression I get from this one is the unexpected combination of spearmint and ylang ylang. The lavender adds a bit of texture, and possibly the lime a tiny bit of zest, but it is primarily a floral mint with the characteristic sweet opluence of ylang ylang. It is as subtle as the other scent, quite easy to miss unless you are close up, but I still find the deep richness of the ylang ylang surprising in this context. That's not to say it's bad, but just surprising every time I catch it! ($2.99 for 25 fl.oz.)

Finally, in the bathroom, the Emerald Cypress & Fir Toilet Cleaner (balsam fir, lime and emerald cypress) is an unabashedly 'green' scent, with the strong refreshing lime enhanced by the slightly resinous wood notes of the fir and cypress. It's clean and cooling, and works very well. ($5.39 for 32 fl. oz)

I have yet to try anything in their Green Mandarin & Leaf range (which sounds lovely with green mandarin, petitgrain and spearmint), or in the Ruby Grapefruit & Herb (grapefruit, geranium and basil) but I am willing to wager they are as good as the others. Clearly, I am really thrilled about this line! All the products are non-toxic and biodegradable and, with this added addition of beautiful whole plant oils and essences in creative and enjoyable blends, this is fast becoming my favorite way to be eco-friendly in the house.

Learn more about the company (which has some pretty original ideas and initiatives going) and their products at seventhgeneration. The products are available at drugstore.com.

See also: Scented household cleaners from Earth Friendly Products, The Thymes Apricot Quince Dishwashing Liquid & All Purpose Cleaning Spray.

Filed Under: home fragrance
Tagged With: cheap thrills, cleaning products, seventh generation

Advertisement


17 Comments

Leave a comment, or read more about commenting at Now Smell This. Here's our privacy policy, and a handy emoticon chart.

  1. Anonymous says:
    3 February 2008 at 4:54 pm

    Of course, living in the UK, I can't get any of the products mentioned. They sound really lovely.

    Btw, I LOVE the new look. :-)

    Log in to Reply
  2. Anonymous says:
    3 February 2008 at 6:44 pm

    I actually normally pass this brand up because I assume they don't have Enough fragrance. But your descriptions definitely made me interested enough to spend some time smelling them in the near future – thanks much!

    Log in to Reply
  3. Anonymous says:
    3 February 2008 at 7:26 pm

    Thanks J!

    Log in to Reply
  4. Anonymous says:
    3 February 2008 at 8:17 pm

    You're welcome. I'm very fond of that kind of 'clean', understated look. I find a lot of blogs/websites impossible to read because they're too 'busy' and fussy, with lots of different fonts, etc. This is lovely and restful for the eyes.

    Log in to Reply
  5. Anonymous says:
    3 February 2008 at 9:00 pm

    Hi Bela, I'm sorry to hear you can't get them in the UK. Do you have any eco-friendly house products over there that you love?

    And second that on the new look! :)

    Log in to Reply
  6. Anonymous says:
    3 February 2008 at 9:02 pm

    They are very subtle, so if you are looking for a more potent scent you might not like them….but I enjoy that even the fragrance aspect is all natural and the combinations really are quite lovely! Hope you like them too!

    Log in to Reply
  7. Anonymous says:
    3 February 2008 at 10:22 pm

    I'm afraid the only 'green' household product I've used – a washing-up liquid from Ecover – wasn't terribly effective and I reverted to my usual one. The choice here is still very limited.

    Log in to Reply
  8. Anonymous says:
    3 February 2008 at 11:08 pm

    Personally, my favourite eco-friendly line, both scent-wise and the whole experience of cleaning, is Vancouver-based Sapodilla. They only have two fragrances right now, but they are excellent – bergmot & grapefruit, and a mint & rosemary one, which smells more of spearmint than mint… None of those give me the headache I get from bleach laden products.. Though I have to say that I do need to use bleach from time to time to get stuff also look clean and not just sanitized…

    Log in to Reply
  9. Anonymous says:
    4 February 2008 at 7:39 am

    Hmm…maybe M&S will come out with a good eco-friendly line one of these days? ;)

    Log in to Reply
  10. Anonymous says:
    4 February 2008 at 7:46 am

    They sound very nice!

    I haven't tried these products on clothes that needed bleaching, so not sure how they would work out. There are alternatives to chlorine bleach (some kind of oxygen bleach?) which are supposed to be easier on the environment as well. Maybe those might help with the headaches?

    Log in to Reply
  11. Anonymous says:
    4 February 2008 at 9:22 am

    It's possible they already have one, but I hardly ever go to M&S: their clothes are all hideous and I never buy cook-chill meals (their 'ordinary foodstuff' is exorbitant). So it doesn't really stock anything I want or need.

    I might pop in and check their household products, though, next time I encounter a store.

    Log in to Reply
  12. Anonymous says:
    4 February 2008 at 4:39 pm

    If they have anything wonderful, do let us know! ;)

    Log in to Reply
  13. Anonymous says:
    4 February 2008 at 4:45 pm

    I promise I will. :-)

    Log in to Reply
  14. Anonymous says:
    8 February 2008 at 5:39 pm

    I have tried the washing up liquid from this brand, and found it left sticky marks on my plates. It was very disappointing. I wonder if that is a brand specific flaw or if environmentally friendly detergent is lacking something that the nastier ones have?

    Log in to Reply
  15. Anonymous says:
    8 February 2008 at 10:09 pm

    I'm sorry to hear that! I don't know what might have caused the sticky marks–I haven't experienced that, but I do notice in general that I need to use more of the natural products than I do of the mainstream ones, in order to get the same effect. Have you tried any of the other natural brands, like Earth Friendly Products or Mrs Meyer's? Maybe they might work for you?

    Log in to Reply
  16. Anonymous says:
    15 June 2008 at 11:58 am

    Late reply, but I've just started using their Green Mandarin & Leaf as a counter cleaner. The scent is subtle, but at least it doesn't smell like chemicals, and it works just fine.

    Log in to Reply
  17. Anonymous says:
    15 June 2008 at 12:06 pm

    Hey R! I also got a hold of that scent in the shower cleaner. It's not bad, eh? I really am continuously happily impressed with their products…

    Log in to Reply

Leave a reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Advertisement

Search

From NST at Twitter

  • "Houston's corpse flower to bloom any day" (axios houston) https://t.co/cd3HQwRNT1, 11 hours ago
  • "Composition Of Roman Perfume Identified For First Time, And It Smelled Like Patchouli" (iflscience) https://t.co/RIQd8yYiIN, 11 hours ago
  • "Meet the fragrances celebrities actually wear" (harpers bazaar) https://t.co/4l6j3tnc0T,
  • "9th Art and Olfaction Awards: Meet the Winners" https://t.co/NwvjC07T1O,
  • "The Surprising Spot Screen Legend Ann-Margret Puts Her New Fragrance" (people) https://t.co/GzuVkM0Y1l,

Browse by...

Topic

Perfume talk New fragrances
Shopping Books :: News
Body products Home fragrance
Polls Another subject

Date

March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022

Prior months

Author

Robin Jessica
Angela Kevin
Erin Guest Author

Tag

Celebrity perfumes
Cheap thrills
Collector bottles
Perfumista tip series
Video
The complete tag index

Recent reviews

Atelier Cologne Love Osmanthus
Moschino Toy Boy
Arquiste Misfit
Diptyque Eau Capitale
Zoologist Bee
Parfum d’Empire Immortelle Corse
Comme des Garcons Series 10 Clash
Frédéric Malle Rose & Cuir
L’Artisan Parfumeur Le Chant de Camargue
Yves Saint Laurent Grain de Poudre
Régime des Fleurs Chloë Sevigny Little Flower
Chanel 1957
Gallivant Los Angeles
Amouage Portrayal Woman

Blogroll

Bois de Jasmin
Grain de Musc
Perfume Posse
The Non-Blonde
More blogs...

Perfumista lists

100 fragrances every perfumista should try
And 25 more fragrances every perfumista should smell
50 masculine fragrances every perfumista should try
26 vintage fragrances every perfumista should try
25 rose fragrances every perfumista should try
11 Cheap Perfumes Beauty Outsiders Love

Favorite posts

The Great Perfume Reduction Plan
Why I Love Old School Chypres
New to perfume and want to learn more?
How to make fragrance last through the day
Fragrance concentrations: sorting it all out
On reformulations, or why your favorite perfume doesn’t smell like it used to
How to get fragrance samples
Perfume for Life: How Long Will Your Fragrance Collection Last?

Upcoming

List of upcoming Friday projects

20 May ~ Haiku Challenge
20 May ~ splitmeet

Back to Top

Home
About Now Smell This :: Privacy Policy

Shop for Perfume Online
Perfume Shopping in New York
Perfume Shopping in London
Perfume Reviews
New Perfumes
General Perfume Articles
The Monday Mail

Glossary of Perfume Terms
Perfume FAQ
Perfume Links
Perfume Books
Fragrance Awards

Noses ~ Perfumers A-E :: F-K :: L-S :: T-Z

Perfume Houses A-B :: C :: D-E :: F-G
H-J :: K-L :: M :: N-O :: P :: Q-R :: S
T :: U-Z

Copyright © 2005-2023 Now Smell This. All rights reserved.