The Stink About Fragrance In Skincare

Fragrance is often added to skincare products to create an emotional connection to a product, increase value perception, and enable better brand recognition. However, fragrances are considered the leading cause of allergic reactions on the skin, affecting around 1% of the general population. Fragrances have been reported to cause types of dermatitis and rashes, and about 35% of people report migraines or respiratory problems.

Fragrance in skincare can cause allergic reactions, including rashes and dermatitis, affecting around 1% of the general population

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, fragrances are the leading cause of allergic reactions on the skin. This means that around 1% of the general population will experience some kind of allergic reaction to fragrances in skincare products. These reactions can include rashes and dermatitis.

Some people may be more susceptible to these reactions than others. For example, Atlanta-based content creator and skincare enthusiast Florence Williams suffers from eczema and avoids fragrances due to her previous experience with redness and flare-ups when using fragranced products. She notes that she doesn't mind fragrances in her cleansers because they wash off quickly, but prefers to avoid them in products that are left on the skin for longer, like toners, serums, and sunscreen.

The inclusion of fragrances in skincare products is often done to appeal to consumers' sense of smell, creating an emotional connection to the product and increasing its perceived value. However, it is important to note that the fragrance percentage in skincare products is usually less than 1%. Additionally, skincare companies can create formulations that avoid known fragrance ingredients that tend to trigger reactions. For example, cosmetic chemist Eunice Coffey-Obeng uses non-synthetic fragrances like essential oils in her brand Nuekie, which not only mask the odour of other ingredients but also provide healing properties.

Some brands hide their full ingredient list under an FDA loophole, listing them as 'fragrances' or 'parfum'

The American Academy of Dermatology has reported fragrances to be the leading cause of allergic reactions on the skin, affecting around 1% of the general population. Fragrances have been known to cause types of dermatitis and rashes, and about 35% of people report migraines or respiratory problems.

However, skincare isn't a one-size-fits-all approach, and some consumers have a strong reaction to any scents in their personal care products. Ingredients are complex and cannot be simply labelled as "good" or "bad". The hard truth is that truly non-fragranced products smell like chemicals or other raw ingredients and can often be unpleasant to the senses.

Some brands hide the trade secrets of their full ingredient list under an FDA loophole that allows personal care brands to list ingredients as "fragrances" or "parfum". However, skincare companies can create formulations that avoid known fragrance ingredients that tend to trigger reactions. The fragrance percentage in skincare products is usually less than 1%.

Dunni Odumosu, a former cosmetic chemist for beauty giant L’Oreal, notes that there is typically some sort of fragrance in any skincare product, even 'fragrance-free' products. Cosmetic chemists like Eunice Coffey-Obeng use non-synthetic fragrances like essential oils in her brand Nuekie. For brands like hers that combine traditional African medicine and modern science to meet the needs of people of colour, the specific essential oils incorporated not only mask the odour of ingredients but also provide healing properties.

Fragrances can be used to create an emotional connection to a product, increase value perception and enable better brand recognition

Skincare products with fragrances are often more appealing to consumers than those without. This is because the raw ingredients and chemicals used in skincare can smell unpleasant. However, some consumers have a strong reaction to any scents in their personal care products. The American Academy of Dermatology has reported that fragrances are the leading cause of allergic reactions on the skin, affecting around 1% of the general population. They have also been reported to cause types of dermatitis and rashes, and about 35% of people report migraines or respiratory problems.

Some brands hide the full ingredient list of their products under an FDA loophole that allows personal care brands to list ingredients as 'fragrances' or 'parfum'. However, it is possible for skincare companies to create formulations that avoid known fragrance ingredients that tend to trigger reactions. The fragrance percentage in skincare products is usually less than 1%.

For brands that combine traditional African medicine and modern science to meet the needs of people of colour, specific essential oils can be used to mask the odour of ingredients and provide healing properties.

Cleansers with fragrances are less likely to cause a reaction because the contact time is shorter than products that are left on the skin for longer

While skincare products with fragrances are often more appealing to consumers, they can cause allergic reactions in some people. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, fragrances are the leading cause of allergic reactions on the skin, affecting around 1% of the general population. They can cause types of dermatitis and rashes, and about 35% of people report migraines or respiratory problems.

However, cleansers with fragrances are less likely to cause a reaction because the contact time is shorter than products that are left on the skin for longer. For example, Atlanta-based content creator and skincare enthusiast Florence Williams, who suffers from eczema, avoids fragrances due to her previous experience with redness and flare-ups when using products that include them. She says: "I don't mind [fragrances] in my cleansers because they do wash off, but I prefer them not to be in my serums, moisturisers, or SPF."

Skincare companies can create formulations that avoid known fragrance ingredients that tend to trigger reactions, and the fragrance percentage in skincare products is usually less than 1%. However, it is important to note that "fragrance-free" products may still contain fragrances, as cosmetic chemist Dunni Odumosu notes: "There is typically some sort of fragrance in any skincare product, even 'fragrance-free' products."

Ingredients are complex and cannot be simply labelled as "good" or "bad". The raw ingredients and chemicals in skincare products often don't smell great, and fragrances can be used to mask these odours and create a more pleasant sensory experience for the consumer.

Skincare companies can create formulations that avoid known fragrance ingredients that tend to trigger reactions

Skincare isn't a one-size-fits-all approach, and some consumers have a strong reaction to any scents in their personal care products. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, fragrances are considered the leading cause of allergic reactions on the skin, affecting around 1% of the general population. They've been reported to cause types of dermatitis and rashes, and about 35% of people report migraines or respiratory problems.

However, some brands hide the trade secrets of their full ingredient list under an FDA loophole that allows personal care brands to list ingredients as 'fragrances' or 'parfum'. Ingredients are complex and cannot be simply labelled as 'good' or 'bad'. The hard truth is that truly non-fragranced products smell like chemicals or other raw ingredients and can often be unpleasant to the senses. Fragrances can be used to appeal to the olfactory centres in our brain or sense of smell to create an emotional connection to a product, increase value perception, and enable better brand recognition.

Cleansers with fragrances are less likely to cause a reaction because the contact time is shorter than products that are left on the skin for longer, like toners, serums, and sunscreen.

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