5 Surprising Ingredients in Commercial Sprays

We all love to smell good. But at what cost?

Spray perfumes may come in fancy glass bottles and designer labels, but what’s inside them might make you raise an eyebrow — or your arm, to stop using them altogether.

If you’ve ever felt dry, itchy, or overwhelmed after a spray, there’s a reason. Actually, there are a few.

Let’s break down 5 hidden ingredients you’ll find in most commercial spray perfumes — and why Neat keeps them far away from your skin.

1. Denatured Alcohol

This is the #1 ingredient in most sprays. It makes the scent disperse fast… but it also dries out your skin, causes irritation, and evaporates quicker than you can say “eau de parfum.”
Some sprays contain up to 80% alcohol — that’s more than hand sanitizer.

Neat? No alcohol. Just scent that stays.

2. Phthalates

These are used to make scents last longer — but they’re also linked to endocrine disruption, meaning they mess with your hormones. They're banned in the EU but still legal in many perfumes globally.

Neat? Zero phthalates. Clean scent only.

3. Aerosol Propellants

In body sprays and cheaper perfumes, these chemicals (like butane or propane) help the fragrance “spray out.” But they also mess with your lungs and the planet.

Neat? No gas, no propellants — it’s solid for a reason.

4. Synthetic Fixatives

Used to anchor the scent to your skin — but often made from petroleum derivatives. These can clog pores or trigger sensitivity in some people.

Neat? Natural waxes and oils do the job gently.

5. Undisclosed “Fragrance”

One word — “Fragrance” — can hide hundreds of unlisted chemicals. It's a legal loophole brands use to protect their formulas, but it also means you don't know what you're really spraying on your skin.

Neat? Full transparency. You’ll never have to guess what’s inside.

So, what’s in Neat?

Just clean, skin-loving ingredients:

  • Natural waxes

  • Perfume-grade oils

  • Plant-derived emollients

  • No sprays. No spills. No BS.

We’re proof that fragrance doesn’t have to be complicated — just clean, quiet, and beautifully personal.

The future of fragrance is solid. And honest.

Ditch the mystery mist. Keep it Neat.

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