Heidi Norton
Fragrances are a common feature of many products, from cosmetics to cleaning products, and are made from a combination of natural and synthetic chemical ingredients. However, there are concerns about the safety of these ingredients, with some fragrance chemicals posing potential health risks. While there is no industry-wide restricted substance list, the International Fragrance Association (IFRA) sets standards for fragrance manufacturers and facilitates safety reviews of fragrance ingredients. IFRA also publishes a Transparency List, which provides information on the ingredients used by IFRA members worldwide. In addition, regulatory bodies such as the European Commission and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have implemented restrictions and requirements for the safe use of fragrances in certain products.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of fragrance ingredients | Over 3,100 |
| Fragrance ingredients used in cleaning products and other scented consumer products | Primarily synthetic chemical ingredients |
| Fragrance ingredients used in cosmetics | Natural or artificial synthetic substances |
| Fragrance ingredients in cosmetics that must be listed on the label | 26 |
| Compliance with the IFRA standards on prohibited and restricted fragrance chemicals | Voluntary for manufacturers |
| IFRA Transparency List | Published in 2022 |
| Number of ingredients on the 2022 IFRA Transparency List | 992 Natural Complex Substances (NCSs) |
| Number of functional ingredients on the 2022 IFRA Transparency List | 395 |
| Number of ingredients on the 2016 IFRA Transparency List | 1,342 |
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What You'll Learn
The International Fragrance Association (IFRA)
IFRA seeks to represent the collective interests of the industry and promote the safe use of fragrances through regulation. It publishes a Code of Practice, which is a set of voluntary standards for fragrance manufacturers. These standards are based on safety evaluations from the Research Institute for Fragrance Materials (RIFM). The latest iteration of the IFRA standards was published in January 2022, integrating all previous standards up to and including the 50th Amendment.
The IFRA Transparency List is a key tool used by the association to provide information about all the ingredients used by its members worldwide. It includes fragrance ingredients (substances used for odour or malodour coverage) and functional ingredients (essential for the functionality or durability of a fragrance compound). The list is based on reporting from IFRA members in the 'Volume of Use Survey', which is compiled approximately every five years. The 2022 edition of the list contains around 350 ingredients fewer than the 2016 edition, with changes due to factors such as innovation in the industry, quality control, and regulatory changes.
In addition to the IFRA Transparency List, IFRA also coordinates an independent expert panel called REXPAN, which conducts safety assessments of fragrance ingredients. However, compliance with the IFRA standards on prohibited and restricted fragrance chemicals is voluntary for manufacturers, and there is little to no enforcement of these standards internationally.
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Safety standards and regulations
In the United States, fragrance ingredients in cosmetics must meet the same safety requirements as other cosmetic ingredients. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not require pre-market approval, but companies and individuals manufacturing or marketing cosmetics are legally responsible for ensuring their products are safe and properly labelled. Fragrance and flavour ingredients can be listed simply as "Fragrance" or "Flavour" on product labels, and full information on ingredients is often kept secret from consumers, with manufacturers claiming trade secret protection. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also does not have direct authority over fragrance safety.
In the European Union, the European Commission has taken steps to increase the safety of fragrances in cosmetics. The 7th amendment to the Cosmetics Directive (2003/15/EC) of March 2003 added 26 fragrances that may lead to allergic reactions to the List of Restricted Substances for Cosmetics. In November 2021, the Commission issued further regulations updating Annex II, Annex III, and Annex V of the European Cosmetics Regulation. The Commission has also proposed increasing the number of ingredients that manufacturers must label as potential allergens on packaging from 26 to over 80.
To address the particular needs of children, the National Medical Products Administration in China released provisions for the cosmetics supervision and administration of children's products in October 2021. These provisions require an evaluation of the safety, stability, function, and compatibility of ingredients used in children's cosmetics, especially fragrances, taking into consideration the physiological characteristics of children. The Technical Guidelines for Children's Cosmetics (2022) recommend using as few fragrances as possible in these products and avoiding complex ingredients that may contain 26 allergenic components.
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Fragrance ingredients and their effects
The fragrance industry uses a combination of natural and synthetic ingredients to create scented products. Natural fragrance ingredients include essential oils derived from plants, such as orange peel, sweet oil, and petitgrain, while synthetic fragrances are chemically created, often derived from petroleum, or evolved from natural substances through chemical modification. Modern perfumery relies heavily on synthetic fragrances due to their versatility, consistency, and cost-effectiveness.
There are over 3,100 chemicals known to be used in fragrances, and the full list of ingredients is often kept confidential from consumers, with manufacturers claiming fragrance formulas as trade secrets. This lack of transparency makes it difficult for individuals to understand the potential health impacts of the ingredients they are exposed to. Some common fragrance ingredients have been associated with adverse health effects, including eye and skin irritation, breathing problems, and more severe consequences like an increased risk of breast cancer and hormone disruption.
The International Fragrance Association (IFRA) is the self-regulating global representative body of the fragrance industry, setting safety standards and facilitating safety reviews of fragrance ingredients. IFRA publishes a Code of Practice with voluntary standards for manufacturers, and the IFRA Transparency List provides information on the ingredients used by its members worldwide. However, compliance with IFRA standards is voluntary, and there is limited enforcement of these standards internationally.
In the United States, fragrance ingredients in cosmetics must meet the same safety requirements as other cosmetic ingredients. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not require pre-market approval, but companies are responsible for ensuring the safety and proper labelling of their products. Under FDA regulations, fragrance ingredients can be listed simply as "Fragrance" or "Flavor," making it challenging for consumers to identify specific ingredients that may cause allergic reactions or sensitivities.
The clean beauty movement has led to increased pressure on companies to disclose their ingredients, and some brands now offer fragrance-free products with transparent ingredient lists. Overall, while the fragrance industry provides a range of scented products that evoke emotions and memories, there are concerns about the potential health impacts of certain ingredients and a need for greater transparency and regulation.
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Trade secrets and labelling
The fragrance industry has historically kept the formulas of their products a secret, claiming that these formulas are the lifeblood of their industry. They argue that trade secrets are necessary to protect intellectual property. As a result, fragrance products are often labelled with the blanket term "fragrance", which acts as a placeholder for a chemical cocktail that can be made up of hundreds of ingredients. This practice is supported by the US Fair Packaging and Labeling Act (FPLA), which states that regulations for the list of ingredients must not be used to force a company to disclose "trade secrets".
However, this lack of transparency has led to criticism, especially regarding the potential health impacts of fragrance products. The safety of fragrance chemicals is not comprehensively monitored by any governmental agency globally, and the industry has been trusted to self-regulate and establish its own safety guidelines. The current system for fragrance safety is entirely run by the industry's own International Fragrance Association (IFRA) and their research arm, the Research Institute for Fragrance Materials (RIFM). Basic science studies on fragrance ingredients are often conducted by the manufacturers themselves and may not be published in peer-reviewed scientific journals, raising questions about the reliability and accuracy of the results.
In recent years, there have been increasing calls for greater transparency in the fragrance industry. Innovations in reverse engineering technology have made it possible to replicate a list of ingredients found in a fragrance with high precision, challenging the notion of "trade secrets". Additionally, consumer advocacy groups have pressured companies to disclose their fragrance ingredients, and some companies have started to respond to these demands. For example, SC Johnson became the first multinational company to announce its intention to disclose all fragrance ingredients in its products.
Despite these developments, the fragrance industry continues to resist full transparency. According to the IFRA, fragrance suppliers are willing to move towards disclosure while preserving trade secret protection. This balance between transparency and protecting intellectual property remains a delicate issue for the industry.
To address this issue, some have suggested that companies could reduce the chemical load of their products and find ways to include fragrances without adding so many chemicals. Additionally, consumers can take steps to minimize their exposure to potentially harmful chemicals by choosing fragrance-free products or purchasing from companies that voluntarily disclose all ingredients.
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Industry self-regulation
The fragrance industry is largely self-regulated. The International Fragrance Association (IFRA), founded in 1973, is the industry's representative body and is responsible for setting standards for fragrance manufacturers and facilitating safety reviews of fragrance ingredients. IFRA publishes a Code of Practice, which is a set of voluntary standards for manufacturers. Compliance with the IFRA standards on prohibited and restricted fragrance chemicals is, however, not enforced, and manufacturers are not required to disclose the ingredients used in their fragrances, often claiming them as trade secrets.
IFRA also coordinates an independent expert panel of dermatologists, toxicologists and environmental scientists called REXPAN, which conducts safety assessments of fragrance ingredients. These assessments are published in scientific journals, but the data on which the conclusions are based is often unpublished manufacturer research, which is not peer-reviewed or available for public scrutiny.
In the United States, fragrance ingredients in cosmetics must meet the same safety requirements as other cosmetic ingredients. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not have the authority to monitor or require safety testing for fragrances used in cleaning products or cosmetics. The FDA requires a list of ingredients under the Fair Packaging and Labelling Act (FPLA), but fragrance and flavour ingredients can be listed simply as "Fragrance" or "Flavour".
In the European Union, the European Commission has issued regulations on restricted substances for cosmetics, including a list of 26 allergens that must be listed in the ingredient list on cosmetics labels. The Commission has also proposed increasing the number of ingredients that must be labelled as possible allergens from 26 to more than 80. In addition, the use of certain allergenic fragrances in toys is banned or restricted in the EU.
National regulations may also apply to fragrances. For example, in China, the National Medical Products Administration released provisions in 2021 requiring that the scientific nature and necessity of ingredients used in children's cosmetics, particularly fragrances, be evaluated from a safety perspective, taking into account children's physiological characteristics.
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Frequently asked questions
The IFRA Transparency List is a key tool used by the International Fragrance Association (IFRA) to provide information to people inside and outside the fragrance industry about all the ingredients used by IFRA members worldwide. The list is based on reporting provided by IFRA members in the 'Volume of Use Survey', which is compiled approximately every five years. The latest list was published in 2022 and provides a snapshot of the ingredients used by fragrance companies around the world.
The International Fragrance Association (IFRA) is the industry's representative body and self-regulatory group. It was founded in 1973 and is committed to promoting the safe use of fragrances. IFRA sets standards for fragrance manufacturers and facilitates safety reviews of fragrance ingredients. Compliance with the IFRA standards on prohibited and restricted fragrance chemicals is voluntary for manufacturers.
Yes, there are regulations for fragrances in cosmetics. In the US, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classifies fragrance ingredients in cosmetics as cosmetic ingredients, which must meet the same safety requirements as other cosmetic ingredients. In the EU, the European Commission has issued regulations on restricted substances for cosmetics, including a list of 26 allergens that must be listed in the ingredient list on cosmetics labels.
