Ingredient

Fragrance

Notable concern Strong evidence Fragrance allergen · Other

Fragrance — leading cause of cosmetic contact allergy; hidden mixture of chemicals

"Fragrance" (also listed as parfum) is a catch-all INCI term that can represent hundreds of undisclosed chemical compounds, many of which are known skin sensitizers. The EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) estimates that 1–9% of the population is sensitised to fragrance allergens, and EU Regulation 2023/1545 now requires individual labelling of up to 80 specific allergen chemicals above threshold concentrations (0.001% in leave-on, 0.01% in rinse-off products). The FDA also recognises fragrance as one of the leading classes of cosmetic allergens and notes that fragrance ingredients may additionally trigger respiratory symptoms in sensitive individuals.

On the plus side

Fragrance contributes sensory appeal, masking of unpleasant base odours, and can enhance the perceived quality and enjoyment of a product; some fragrance components (e.g. certain botanical extracts) may have mild antioxidant or skin-soothing properties.

Sources

• ec.europa.eu
• fda.gov
• pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
• ewg.org
• single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu

GlowOS describes what regulatory bodies and published research say about an ingredient — it does not tell you what to use or avoid, and none of this is medical advice. Concentration, formulation, and your own skin all matter. For skin conditions, see a dermatologist.

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