'Fragrance' in Skincare – The So Called Taboo

Author : Mahima Gupta

Fragrance in skincare has been the so-called Taboo. Everyone has been talking why you should avoid it. While some conceptions concerning fragrances are true, most are misconceptions which need to be sorted. The consumer is petrified to be putting anything with fragrances and hence is always on a look-out for ‘fragrance-free’. But what precisely is fragrance free?  The truth could be naked and very eye-opening. In this article we talk truth and nothing but the truth about fragrances.

Truth # 1 Fragrance is not added to perfume your skincare products but to mask the base odour of the active ingredients

Fragrance is usually added to mask the odour that comes from an indispensable ingredient like an active ingredient or to provide a more enhanced sensorial experience. The truth of the matter is that most active ingredients don’t smell that good. This unpleasant fragrance doesn’t hamper the functioning of product however such smell could be very off-putting for the consumers which would make them less likely to use that product. And if you don’t use it regularly, those powerful active ingredients aren’t going to have a chance to do their job.

Truth # 2 Fragrance-free is NOT equal to better

The best & worst part here is that the term “fragrance-free” is loosely defined pretty much like the marketing words "non-toxic," "clean" and "safe"—they have no official or legal meaning when it comes to cosmetic labelling.

To our surprise, plethora of products labelled fragrance free could possess just enough fragrance to mask the unpleasant smell of other ingredients. This makes the product smell neutral but it cannot be called fragrance free technically. It is also to be noted that FDA does not require each fragrance to be listed individually. Even if a product doesn’t list an added perfume or specific fragrance, chances are good that one of the items in its ingredient list is providing a scent, even if that scent is a preservative to keep the product fresher longer.

Thus, fragrance free may just mean scent-free!

Truth # 3 Fragrances are NOT always bad

Fragrances are of various types, qualities and standards. Even the percentage of fragrance in skincare products matter. Basically, anything that smells is a fragrance. All fragrances used by bhu botanicals are IFRA certified and the brand ensures all safety measures recommended by NPA while formulating the products.

While we are not trying to counsel fragrances here, we are just trying to say that fragrances are not bad provided consumers choose if the fragrance is causing any damage. That could be fragrance in any form – from foods to perfumes to skincare.

Truth # 4 Majority prefer mildly fragrant skincare products

One of the major purposes of any skincare product is to provide a sensorial experience to the consumer. Safe fragrances can actually enhance your experience with the product. In a short survey done internally bhu botanicals found out that majority (males as well as females) preferred products which contained very mild fragrance. They mentioned it made them feel good and fresh.

Conclusion

Fragrances are everywhere, in make-up products, skincare products, perfumes and where not. It is imperative that we ensure safe and appropriate consumption of it in any form. If it’s regulated by safety standards organization, appeals our senses, and makes us use our skincare products more religiously, it doesn’t look damaging!