In today’s world, scents have become ubiquitous - from skincare and body products to cleaning supplies and even baby products. While these fragrances may be aromatically pleasing, research indicates that they pose a significant risk for our health.

Here we’ll discuss fragrance 101, the regulations (or lack thereof) around fragrance ingredients, and the perils of fragrance in home and beauty products.

What Is Fragrance? 

Fragrances are complex mixtures of synthetic, chemical, and natural ingredients. Natural fragrances derive from raw plant materials, such as essential oils, botanical extracts, isolates, resins, or volatile concentrates. When incorporated into a fragrance or a fragranced product, these components typically only last for a few hours on skin or clothing.  

In stark contrast, synthetic fragrances, often listed on labels as “fragrance” or “parfum,” are chemically developed in a lab. These can contain hundreds of undisclosed ingredients, potentially harmful ingredients, including phthalates, which is is a hazardous chemical used to help cosmetics and lotions stick to and penetrate the skin. Once a "fragranced" product is released into the environment, the synthetic scent compounds invade and cling to skin, clothing, and linger in the environment for unnervingly long periods of time. Their pervasive nature makes these "fragrances" difficult to escape, exposing people continuously to a cocktail of unknown chemicals. The relentless exposure not only compromises our personal well-being, but also pollutes our homes and the planet.

These mysterious blends can be found in everything from lotions and laundry detergents to cleaning products, all cloaked behind a secret "parfum". With limited transparency on product labels, consumers are left in the dark unaware that toxic chemicals are on their skin, in their homes, and unleashed into the environment.

Fragrance “Regulation”

Here’s the not-so-exciting news: regulation around fragrances and their ingredients is exceptionally limited. While the FDA mandates that beauty and home products include ingredient lists on product labels, there are no safety regulations around the compounds that make up the "fragrance" scent.

Fragrance blends in products are considered trade secrets, allowing companies to withhold full formula disclosure. As a result, consumers remain unaware of the ingredients in the catch-all terms “fragrance” and “parfum,” and whether these products contain toxic ingredients of the natural or synthetic varietal. Even worse, products masquerading as natural may be laden with synthetic, toxic, allergy-inducing ingredients, all under the guise of healthy branding. 

Additionally, the self-governing International Fragrance Association (IFRA) sets "the standards" for the safe use of fragrance ingredients in perfumes. However, there are no mandatory safety standards, safety testing of the ingredients, or transparency regulations for the fragrance ingredients.

Therefore, until there is more clarity on the ingredients, fragranced products will remain a major safety risk for the consumer. While efforts to tighten regulations are underway, the reality is that, for now, being an informed consumer is key. 

Hidden Dangers of Fragranced Products

Recent research reveals that over 75% of products listing "fragrance" as an ingredient contain phthalates. Alongside other undisclosed components, these toxic cocktails are linked to serious immediate and long-term health issues.

• Short-term Effects: Fragrances can cause skin irritation, sinus congestion, headaches, and respiratory issues like wheezing and coughing. 

• Long-term Effects: Prolonged exposure to fragranced products has been linked to ongoing inflammation, chronic skin irritation, allergic reactions, asthma, hormone disruption (fertility, child and adolescent development, and malformation of reproductive organs) and neurotoxicity. Some fragrances may even have carcinogenic (liver and breast cancer) effects. All scary prospects!

A study by the North American Contact Dermatitis Group (NACDG) found that nine out of the top ten allergens causing allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) were in personal care products, with more than half being fragrance additives and preservatives. For those with sensitive skin, repeated exposure means constant flare-ups and systemic inflammation, and additional studies have shown that toxic fragrance chemicals can pass through the skin barrier and circulate into the bloodstream causing long-term harm. Additionally, even if you’re not super sensitive to "fragrance," initially, you can still become sensitized over time causing acute or serious illness.  

"Fragrance" or "parfums" often contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and when worn in a perfume, as an ingredient in a detergent, or utilized as a local cleaning agent, the effects on entire offices, communities and the environment can be substantial. A study of 1,100 participants, found that when exposed to fragranced products, 35% of people reported immediate health issues like allergic reactions, breathing problems, migraines, and emotional disturbances. Prolonged exposure caused weakened immune systems that disrupted quality of life, ability to hold a job, and increasingly more dire consequences based on the type of product and duration of exposure. 

Home cleaning products are seemingly some of the worst offenders. 6,000 individuals studied over a 10 to 20 year period experienced respiratory conditions, such as asthma, and irreversible lung damage equivalent to smoking 20 cigarettes a day. And those air fresheners that provide such a clean environment? 25% of the ingredients - VOCs, formaldehyde, and phthalates - can cause toxic reactions to your lungs, liver, and brain function. 

Fragrance-Free Is the Safest and Cleanest Path 

Ongoing research highlights the serious impacts of fragranced products on health. It’s time to reconsider those enticing fresh scents and opt for fragrance-free alternatives. The fragrance industry’s lack of transparency poses challenges, and harm, but informed choices will allow you to make safer choices. Let’s keep it fresh, fabulous, and fragrance-free. 

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U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA authority over cosmetics: how cosmetics are not FDA-approved, but are FDA-regulated. FDA. Nutrition C for FS and A. Published online March 3, 2005; updated August 3, 2013. Content current as of: March 8, 2021. Available from: https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetics-laws-regulations/fda-authority-over-cosmetics-how-cosmetics-arenot-fda-approved-are-fda-regulated.

DeKoven JG, Warshaw EM, Zug KA, et al. North American Contact Dermatitis Group patch test results: 2015-2016. Dermatitis. 2018 Nov/Dec;29(6):297-309.

Cleaning at home and at work in relation to lung function decline and airway obstruction: https://www.thoracic.org/about/newsroom/press-releases/resources/women-cleaners-lung-function.pdf

Roughly 25% of Air Freshener Ingredients are Toxic to Your Health: https://tiltresearch.org/2020/04/27/roughly-25-of-air-freshener-ingredients-are-toxic-to-your-health/

Five 'Must-Knows' on the Dangers of Synthetic Fragrance: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/five-mustknows-on-the-dan_b_4737654