Fragrances are substances that possess strong-smelling organic compounds that have characteristic, pleasant odors. They are used in many products as a perfume, and we encounter them in the majority of cosmetics, toiletries, household, laundry, air fresheners, candles, and incense products we use frequently. Fragrances can be created from natural and synthetic methods. Natural compounds are derived from natural sources, often plants, by physical or biotechnological procedures to harness the ingredients. Synthetic fragrance ingredients can either be nature-identical or artificial.
Fragrance ingredients may be derived from petroleum or natural raw materials. Companies that manufacture perfume or cologne purchase fragrance mixtures from fragrance houses to develop their own proprietary blends. In addition to “scent” chemicals that create the fragrance, perfumes and colognes also contain solvents, stabilizers, UV-absorbers, preservatives, and dyes. These additives are frequently, but not always, listed on product labels. In contrast, the chemical components in fragrance itself are protected as trade secrets and described on the label only as “fragrance” .
While most fragrance chemicals are not disclosed, some are linked to serious health problems such as cancer, reproductive and developmental toxicity, allergies, and sensitivities. Fragrance chemicals can become major sensitizers through air oxidation, photo-activation, or skin enzyme catalysis or cross-sensitizing, a process by which a person becomes sensitized to substances different from the substance to which the person is already sensitized.
The International Fragrance Association (IFRA) published a list of 2,339 possible fragrance materials used by IFRA affiliated members, including fragrance suppliers, who use chemicals from this list or “palette” of ingredients to formulate fine fragrances and fragranced cosmetics and personal care products. The IFRA list of possible fragrance ingredients includes chemicals listed as carcinogens by California’s Prop 65 Program and the National Toxicology Program (NTP) .
The IFRA Transparency List is the ‘perfumer’s palette’ – an overview of the ingredients used to create fragrance mixtures employed by consumer goods companies in personal care products, home care. It also allows IFRA to build a range of tools and services for members, such as the IFRA Fragrance Ingredient Glossary. There are two main types of ingredient on the List. Fragrance ingredients are substances used for odor or malodor coverage. Functional ingredients are substances that are not used to provide odor or malodor coverage, but which are essential for the functionality or durability of a fragrance compound – such as an antioxidant, preservative, diluent, solvent, or color. The 2022 edition of the IFRA Transparency List includes 3,619 ingredients.
In summary, fragrances are substances possessing strong-smelling organic compounds that have characteristic, pleasant odors. They are used in many products as a perfume, and we encounter them in the majority of cosmetics, toiletries, household, laundry, air fresheners, candles, and incense products we use frequently. Fragrances can be created from natural and synthetic methods, and most fragrance chemicals are not disclosed. Some fragrance chemicals are linked to serious health problems such as cancer, reproductive and developmental toxicity, allergies, and sensi...
