What does fragrance or parfum cover on a label?
Fragrance (U.S.) or parfum (EU) is one entry on the list that can stand for a blend of many components. The FDA says fragrance formulas are complex mixtures and are the kind of component most likely to be a trade secret. CosIng lists the functions of PARFUM as deodorant, masking and perfuming.
On most ingredient lists, one word can sit where dozens of separate substances might otherwise be named. That word is fragrance in the U.S. and parfum in the EU. This guide explains why, and what it means when you read a label.
What the U.S. allows
The FDA requires an ingredient list under the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act. The FDA also says that law is not allowed to be used to force a company to tell trade secrets. It adds that fragrance and flavor formulas are the kinds of components most likely to be trade secrets.
So under U.S. regulations, the FDA says, fragrance and flavor ingredients can be listed simply as “Fragrance” or “Flavor”. The federal regulation 21 CFR 701.3 says the same: fragrance or flavor may be listed as fragrance or flavor.
The FDA describes fragrance and flavor formulas as complex mixtures of many different natural and synthetic ingredients. The label word does not say which ones, or how many.
What the EU requires
Article 19 of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 says perfume and aromatic compositions and their raw materials are referred to by the terms “parfum” or “aroma”. It adds one condition. Substances that Annex III marks for individual mention must be named in the list in addition to the term parfum or aroma. The guide on EU fragrance allergens covers that list.
So the EU also groups a blend under one word. The difference is that certain named allergens must be listed beside it once they pass set concentrations.
What CosIng says PARFUM is
CosIng is the European Commission’s ingredient database, and Poliage uses its INCI names. CosIng uses PARFUM as the term for a fragrance material or blend. The functions listed for PARFUM are DEODORANT, MASKING and PERFUMING.
Poliage’s Fragrance category follows CosIng. It also includes a few single aroma substances that a maker may declare by name instead of PARFUM, such as VANILLIN and LINALYL ACETATE. When a maker names a substance, you can see it. When a maker writes PARFUM or fragrance, you cannot.
What the label cannot tell you
- How many components are in the blend. It could be a few or many.
- Whether any single component is one you want to avoid, unless it is a named allergen in the EU.
- Whether “unscented” or “fragrance free” on the front matches the list. Check the list on the pack.
If you react to fragrance
The FDA says it does not have the same legal authority to require allergen labeling for cosmetics as for food. It suggests that if you are concerned about sensitivity, you may want to choose products that are fragrance free and check the ingredient list carefully. The guide on patch testing describes one way to test a new product. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist if you have a reaction.
How Poliage shows it
A product page shows “Contains PARFUM”, with its CosIng function, when the list includes it. If PARFUM is on your own avoid list, the page marks it. That is a statement that the term is listed. It is not a judgment about the product. Labels can be misread and formulas can change, so the pack in your hand comes first.
Where this comes from
U.S. rules come from the FDA page on fragrances in cosmetics and from 21 CFR 701.3. EU rules come from Article 19 of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009. The meaning and functions of PARFUM come from its record in the European Commission’s CosIng database.