Fragrance/Parfum

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What it is

“Fragrance” (or “parfum” on EU and international labels) isn’t one ingredient. It’s a catch-all term for a blend of scent chemicals that companies don’t have to list individually. According to a University of Washington study (Steinemann et al., 2011), a single “fragrance” in a product can be a mixture of up to several hundred substances (University of Washington, 2010). A clinical review (Johansen, 2003) estimates that about 2,500 different fragrance ingredients are used in perfumes, and at least 100 of these are known contact allergens. In the US, regulations do not require disclosure of all ingredients in a consumer product, or of any ingredients in a mixture called “fragrance.”

Why it is a concern

  • Hidden toxic chemicals. When researchers tested 25 popular scented products (Steinemann et al., 2011), they found 133 different VOCs, with an average of 17 per product, and 24 of these are classified as toxic or hazardous under U.S. federal laws. Nearly half the products released at least one of four carcinogenic air pollutants: acetaldehyde, 1,4-dioxane, formaldehyde, and methylene chloride. Only one emitted compound appeared on a product label. Products marketed as green weren’t better: their emissions of hazardous chemicals were not significantly different from the other products.
  • Allergies and skin irritation. A review of fragrance allergy (Pastor-Nieto & Gatica-Ortega, 2021) identifies fragrances as the most frequent chemicals causing contact dermatitis, and notes that sensitization persists for life, so treatment relies on avoiding the allergen. A 2024 systematic review of European dermatitis patients (Botvid et al., 2024) found sensitization to fragrance mix I in 6.81% and to fragrance mix II in 3.64%, and sensitization is also prevalent among children.
  • Respiratory problems, headaches and more. Surveys in four countries (Steinemann, 2019) found that 32.2% of adults report adverse health effects from fragranced consumer products, most commonly respiratory difficulties (16.7%), mucosal symptoms (13.2%), migraine headaches (12.6%), skin rashes (9.1%), and asthma attacks (7.0%). A systematic review of perfumes and colognes (Kazemi et al., 2022) also assessed the pollutants in these products and their health effects on consumers.
  • Hormone-disrupting phthalates. According to the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE, 2018), certain phthalates are used in scented products such as perfumes, deodorants, soaps, shampoo, nail polish and cosmetics. In a long-running study of mothers and children (Harley et al., 2019), mothers who had higher levels of diethyl phthalate (used in fragrance) and triclosan during pregnancy had daughters who entered puberty earlier.

Where it can be found

Fragrance is in far more than perfume. The fragrance-allergy review (Pastor-Nieto & Gatica-Ortega, 2021) lists its main sources as cosmetics, household products, industrial substances, food flavorings, oral hygiene products, and topical medications. Products tested in the University of Washington study (Steinemann et al., 2011) included air fresheners (sprays, solids and oils), laundry products (detergents, fabric softeners and dryer sheets), personal care products (soaps, hand sanitizers, lotions, deodorant and shampoos), and cleaning products (disinfectants, all-purpose sprays and dish detergent). Deodorants deserve special mention: they are a frequent cause of fragrance contact dermatitis and often trigger the first symptoms of a fragrance allergy (Pastor-Nieto & Gatica-Ortega, 2021).

Label tip

“Fragrance-free” isn’t always what it seems. Per the clinical review (Johansen, 2003), products labelled ‘fragrance free’ have been shown to contain fragrance ingredients, either as preservatives or masking perfumes, or through botanicals. Look for products that list every ingredient, and keep in mind that essential oils can also trigger allergies.

References

  1. Kazemi Z, et al. Evaluation of pollutants in perfumes, colognes and health effects on the consumer: a systematic review. 2022. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35669814/
  2. Steinemann AC, et al. Fragranced consumer products: Chemicals emitted, ingredients unlisted. Environ Impact Assess Rev. 2011;31(3):328–333. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eiar.2010.08.002
  3. Steinemann A. International prevalence of fragrance sensitivity. Air Qual Atmos Health. 2019;12(8):891–897. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-019-00699-4
  4. Botvid S, et al. Contact sensitization to fragrance mix I and fragrance mix II among European dermatitis patients: A systematic review. Contact Dermatitis. 2024;91(3):177–185. https://doi.org/10.1111/cod.14618
  5. Johansen JD. Fragrance contact allergy: a clinical review. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2003;4(11):789–98. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14572300/
  6. Harley KG, et al. Association of phthalates, parabens and phenols found in personal care products with pubertal timing in girls and boys. Hum Reprod. 2019;34(1):109–117. https://doi.org/10.1093/humrep/dey337
  7. Pastor-Nieto MA, Gatica-Ortega ME. Ubiquity, Hazardous Effects, and Risk Assessment of Fragrances in Consumer Products. Curr Treat Options Allergy. 2021;8(1):21–41. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33520600/
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