Fragrance secrets

On an ingredient list, “fragrance” or “parfum” is one word. Behind it: anywhere from a handful to several hundred compounds, historically none of them disclosed.

This was a trade-secret protection built for the perfume industry, extended to cosmetics, and left largely untouched for decades. It made fragrance one of the only things in your skincare that sat outside your right to know.

Fragrance is also among the most common causes of skin reactions and contact dermatitis in cosmetics.

The American Contact Dermatitis Society has long flagged it as a leading allergen. That’s part of why US regulators are now finalizing rules to require certain fragrance allergens be disclosed on labels -- a real shift, though full fragrance formulas will still stay protected.

“Unscented” doesn’t solve it. Many unscented products use masking fragrances to cover the smell of other ingredients. Still fragrance. Still undisclosed.

Real botanicals carry their own scent. They don’t need a fragrance blend to smell like something.

When you see individually named plant extracts and essential oils instead of “fragrance,” that’s transparency. Not an accident.