Fragrance
What is it?
Fragrances are ingredients used in a wide variety of cosmetics and personal care products to make the products more pleasant and to make them recognizable to the users. Fine fragrances, or perfumes, are used specifically to provide a pleasant and attractive odor for the user, while functional fragrances are added to products that serve some function such as cleaning or moisturizing.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Regulation, the term “fragrance” on a product label signifies "any natural or synthetic substance or substances used solely to impart an odor to a cosmetic product.” In Europe, the labeling name for Fragance is Parfum.
Fragrances encompass a wide variety of natural and synthetic materials that are used alone or in combinations to produce a unique fragrance in products. Studies have shown that users associate a pleasant fragrance with a clean environment. In other words, consumers know an area is clean because of the pleasant smell that remains following cleaning. It’s impossible to know if a product without fragrance has been applied; without fragrance there is no perceived effectiveness.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Regulation, the term “fragrance” on a product label signifies "any natural or synthetic substance or substances used solely to impart an odor to a cosmetic product.” In Europe, the labeling name for Fragance is Parfum.
Fragrances encompass a wide variety of natural and synthetic materials that are used alone or in combinations to produce a unique fragrance in products. Studies have shown that users associate a pleasant fragrance with a clean environment. In other words, consumers know an area is clean because of the pleasant smell that remains following cleaning. It’s impossible to know if a product without fragrance has been applied; without fragrance there is no perceived effectiveness.
Safety Information
The safety of fragrance ingredients is assessed by a comprehensive program operated by the International Fragrance Association (IFRA). This comprehensive program, in operation since 1973, includes a Code of Practice (the Code) that provides recommendations for good operating practice and guidelines on fragrance ingredient safety assessment, and includes fragrance safety Standards which limit or ban the usage of certain fragrance materials. IFRA oversees the gathering of information about the safety of individual fragrance ingredients and reviews this information to determine the safety under conditions of use. The conclusions of the IFRA safety review are published in the IFRA “Code of Practice” which provides critical guidance to fragrance formulators and users to ensure that their products are safe.
Scientific review of fragrance ingredients is conducted by the Research Institute for Fragrance Materials (RIFM). RIFM is the scientific arm of IFRA and is a non-profit scientific institute, founded in 1966 for the purpose of generating and evaluating safety data on fragrance ingredients. The scientific foundation of RIFM is built around its independent Expert Panel (REXPAN), made up of toxicologists, pharmacologists, dermatologists and environmental scientists, none of whom has any other connection to the fragrance industry, and whose work involves the safety evaluation of fragrance ingredients under conditions of intended use.
The results of the RIFM Expert Panel evaluations are published in peer-reviewed scientific journals, and their decisions regarding restrictions of use are published in the IFRA Standards. RIFM evaluates and distributes scientific data on the safety assessment of fragrance raw materials found in perfumes, cosmetics, shampoos, creams, detergents, air fresheners, candles and other personal and household products. RIFM's Database of Fragrance and Flavor Materials is the most comprehensive source worldwide for toxicology data, literature and information on the safety evaluation of fragrance and flavor materials.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) defers review of individual fragrance ingredients to the IFRA/RIFM program unless the ingredient has significant uses other than as a fragrance. In this case, the ingredient may be assessed by both the CIR Expert Panel and REXPAN.
Link to the Web Site for the International Fragrance Association:
http://www.ifraorg.org/
Link to the IFRA fragrance standards and code of practive:
http://www.ifraorg.org/Home/Code,+Standards+Compliance/IFRA+...
Scientific review of fragrance ingredients is conducted by the Research Institute for Fragrance Materials (RIFM). RIFM is the scientific arm of IFRA and is a non-profit scientific institute, founded in 1966 for the purpose of generating and evaluating safety data on fragrance ingredients. The scientific foundation of RIFM is built around its independent Expert Panel (REXPAN), made up of toxicologists, pharmacologists, dermatologists and environmental scientists, none of whom has any other connection to the fragrance industry, and whose work involves the safety evaluation of fragrance ingredients under conditions of intended use.
The results of the RIFM Expert Panel evaluations are published in peer-reviewed scientific journals, and their decisions regarding restrictions of use are published in the IFRA Standards. RIFM evaluates and distributes scientific data on the safety assessment of fragrance raw materials found in perfumes, cosmetics, shampoos, creams, detergents, air fresheners, candles and other personal and household products. RIFM's Database of Fragrance and Flavor Materials is the most comprehensive source worldwide for toxicology data, literature and information on the safety evaluation of fragrance and flavor materials.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) defers review of individual fragrance ingredients to the IFRA/RIFM program unless the ingredient has significant uses other than as a fragrance. In this case, the ingredient may be assessed by both the CIR Expert Panel and REXPAN.
Link to the Web Site for the International Fragrance Association:
http://www.ifraorg.org/
Link to the IFRA fragrance standards and code of practive:
http://www.ifraorg.org/Home/Code,+Standards+Compliance/IFRA+...
Why is it used in cosmetics and personal care products?
Fragrances are used in a wide variety of products to impart odor or to mask the odor of another ingredient used in the formulation of a product. Numerous studies confirm that fragrances enhance well being and have a positive impact on the psyche. Many consumers prefer fragranced products because they have a pleasant effect and are pleasing to others. Often a particular fragrance becomes strongly associated with product identity and acceptability.
Scientific facts:
Fragrances are generally described as an odor in a substance dispersed in the air, generally at a very low concentration, which are perceive by the sense of olfaction. Odors are also sometimes called smells, which can refer to both pleasant and unpleasant odors. The terms fragrance, scent, or aroma are used primarily by the food and cosmetic industry to describe a pleasant odor, and is sometimes used to refer to perfumes.
Some odors such as perfumes and flowers are sought after for use in cosmetics and personal care products. The perception of odors is very much dependent upon circumstance and culture. The odor of cooking processes may be pleasurable while cooking but not necessarily after the meal. The odor molecules send messages to the limbic system, the area of the brain that governs emotional responses. Some believe that these messages have the power to alter moods, evoke distant memories, raise their spirits, and boost self-confidence.
Some odors such as perfumes and flowers are sought after for use in cosmetics and personal care products. The perception of odors is very much dependent upon circumstance and culture. The odor of cooking processes may be pleasurable while cooking but not necessarily after the meal. The odor molecules send messages to the limbic system, the area of the brain that governs emotional responses. Some believe that these messages have the power to alter moods, evoke distant memories, raise their spirits, and boost self-confidence.
