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Most well tolerated fragrances
I am looking to potentially use fragrances at some point but due to fragrances being one of the highest causes of allergies and dermatitis in sensitive skin, what would be the most tolerated? Are there any essential oil brands that are well tolerated, synthetic blends? After using essential oils safely for 30 years, I can no longer use them due to a severe eczema flare that disrupted my well being for several months. However, I was told to avoid synthetic fragrances as well. Now that I haven’t had eczema in some time, I can use fragrant products in wash off applications or hand lotions. The fragrances and or essential oils in those products appear to be ok but I don’t know what they are since they appear as parfum or fragrance on the label.
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15 Replies
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Humans are like snowflakes (in fact, some are SNOWFLAKES! 😅). What that means….is there are no two alike. What bothers you…might not bother me…and Vise versa. So, you have asked a question that is difficult to answer, one that maybe you can only answer for and about yourself.
That being said, the EU has delineated the most common of the allergens contained in essential oils and fragrance ingredients, and even preservatives. With essential oils…it is rather simple to find a GC-MS…and determine how much of these allergens are contained in a specific EO. The only value that will have… is it will give you some insight on the increased or decreased likelihood of the entire population, having any type of sensitivity.
As we like to say….the poison is in the dosing. You can use some of these type ingredients….if you use it at low enough rates (EO’s / fragrances). Some people will not react…if you use many times too much….others will be intolerant to even the smallest amount. Typically, it is pretty difficult to make a cosmetic that the ENTIRE population will find suitable. Hence….you guessed it…. why there is more than one brand. 😉 And why ‘unscented’ products are offered. This field extends well past fragrance…and can include about any possible ingredient in a formula.
Good Luck.
The attached link has the EU allergen list in the article. Just use that list…when you study the GC-MS of an essential oil. New allergen list - Cosmacon
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This reply was modified 2 weeks, 6 days ago by Graillotion.
cosmacon.de
The number of potential allergens to be declared in future has been published in a new allergen list. A new Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 of 26 July 2023 amending the Annexes to the EC Cosmetics Regulation was published in the Official … Continue reading
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This reply was modified 2 weeks, 6 days ago by
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Wow I was using a lot of the most common allergens.
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This post is what I’d call a “dog’s dinner of misconceptions.”
Yes, fragrances are one of the highest causes of allergies and dermatitis in sensitive skin. Synthetics are probably the worst culprits here.
The key is to look at the CoAs and analysis of allergens for each EO. For example, in my 20+ years of formulating and distributing products globally, Patchouli was not an issue because the level of allergens is low. In contrast, Lavender EO is one of the worst with high levels of allergens.
There is a big difference between “fragrances” - mostly synthetics, and essential oils. The key here is the INCI name appearing in the product list of ingredients that should be placed on the product. If you need any help, email me at: mikethair@gmail.com
Kind regards,
Dr Mike Thair
Consultant: Skincare Product Development and Manufacturing.
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Respectfully, a hard disagree. Natural compounds are much more likely to cause allergic reactions than synthetics.
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Do you ever get the feeling, the group is getting ‘pranked’? I suspect so.
Just a couple of weeks ago…the subject said ” Lavender ” never causes issues! I find it entertaining….but to a point.
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This reply was modified 2 weeks, 4 days ago by Graillotion.
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This reply was modified 2 weeks, 4 days ago by Graillotion.
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This reply was modified 2 weeks, 4 days ago by
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Hi Perry,
Can you provide links to the scientific literature supporting natural compounds are much more likely to cause allergic reactions than synthetics?
This is something I’m interested in knowing about.
Thanks.
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This reply was modified 2 weeks, 4 days ago by mikethair.
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This reply was modified 2 weeks, 4 days ago by
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Sorry for chipping in, but I feel this like deja vu, hehe. Here are some systematic reviews (which are the best source of evidence):
1) This is an Opinion on Essential Oils from the EU SCCP: https://ec.europa.eu/health/archive/ph_risk/committees/sccp/documents/out218_en.pdf. In there, you can read the following:
“An important problem
with fragrance substances of ‘natural origin’ is the difficulty of quality control. There may be
considerable variation in the content of toxic/sensitising chemicals; oakmoss is an example.
There is no demonstration in the peer reviewed scientific literature that fragrances compounds of
natural origin are ‘safer’ than synthetics.”2) This is the Annex I to the same review “Clinical evidence regarding sensitisation to
individual fragrance chemicals and to natural extracts”: https://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/consumer_safety/docs/sccs_o_073_annex1.pdf. From the page 68 onwards, you can find a catalogue of natural extracts and essential oils.I was going to post more things, but I have to do husband stuff. Enjoy!
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The key is to look at the CoAs and analysis of allergens for each EO. For example, in my 20+ years of formulating and distributing products globally, Patchouli was not an issue because the level of allergens is low. In contrast, Lavender EO is one of the worst with high levels of allergens.
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You were told to avoid synthetic fragrances because no one knows what they’re talking about. A “natural” fragrant oil is made of… guess what… chemicals! Most of them are common allergens and some isolates from them or fully lab-created aroma chemicals are better for this purpose. They also allow you to create non-medicinal smelling, beautiful fragrances.
Fragrances that are used in cosmetics are mostly made of Hedione + Iso E Super + Galaxolide combo because those materials are the skeletons of modern fragrances. Then they might throw a floral, fruit, or an aromatic base in that skeleton. Apart from those three, the most preferred aroma chemicals are ionones (violet, iris), heliotropin (almond, sweet), vanillin/ethyl vanillin (vanilla), coumarin (tonka), phenyl ethyl alcohol (rose), linalool/linalyl acetate (lavender), limonene (orange) etc.
There’s no need to learn another artistry to scent your materials, though. You can just buy fragrances made for cosmetics or just hire a perfumer.
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With respect, @Onur. I find your statement that “no one knows what they’re talking about” offensive. Would you mind outlining your qualifications and experience that make you an expert?
Thanks.
Kind regards,
Dr Mike Thair
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I’m an organic chemist with 12 years of experience in perfume making.
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Excellent.
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Thanks—I didn’t mean to offend anyone. Aroma chemicals used in perfumery are actually very well-tolerated and safe. They aren’t inherently riskier than natural essential oils just because they’re labeled “synthetic.” In fact, it’s often the opposite. Essential oils, absolutes, and extracts contain dozens of aromatic compounds, many of which are known allergens. They don’t offer any particular benefit in skincare, either. Modern perfumery uses both synthetics (primarily) and natural ingredients when appropriate. Synthetics are exceptionally useful for creating an infinite range of scent profiles—floral, fruity, fougère, gourmand, etc.—without the medicinal or terpenic notes often associated with natural materials. They offer a broader palette and are well studied by toxicologists.
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Hi @Onur, no offence taken. Yes indeed, essential oils contain many allergens, and these are well-documented and studied. Essential oils have been around for a long time. But I can’t say the same for synthetic fragrances.
And with essential oils, it all comes down to the skills of the formulator to study this documentation and formulate appropriately. Something I have been doing professionally since 2006 when I launched my brand Indochine Natural and my factories in Viet Nam and Malaysia.
I was committed to all-natural products, so any synthetic ingredients were excluded. I remained true to my convictions.
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Its an interesting science so I would love to learn more and the process of experimenting, I was able to learn enough to be able to blend without looking at a guide. It was not only a lot of fun but you learn more than just scent. You can learn how it impacts the formula. I’ve created some god awful nasty stuff I couldn’t give away and learned a lot. But with the right funding, I would hire a consultant in a hear beat.
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