What it is
An umbrella label that can mask dozens to hundreds of undisclosed ingredients, including phthalate solvents, synthetic musks, aldehydes, and sensitising allergens.
What it does
Adds scent to personal care, cleaning, and home fragrance products.
Why it’s a concern
The Environmental Working Group and International Fragrance Association have documented that a single “fragrance” listing may contain 50 to 300 individual chemicals, many unregulated by cosmetics law. A 2018 EWG analysis matched disclosed fragrance ingredients against toxicity databases and flagged hundreds as potential allergens, respiratory irritants, or endocrine disruptors. The EU requires disclosure of 26 named fragrance allergens; no such requirement exists federally in the US.
Also known as
fragranceparfumperfumearoma
Commonly found in
perfumelotionshampoolaundry detergentcleaning productscandles
Safer alternatives
- fragrance-free products
- products disclosing all fragrance components
- single-source essential oils
Related chemical families
Sources
- EWG Not So Sexy Report 2010
- IFRA Transparency List