Are fragrances safe for skin?

What is perfume ?

Parfum ( aroma, fragrance ) is a fragrance composition . It may consist of substances of natural or synthetic origin.

The first group includes, among others, natural essential oils , whose synthetic equivalents try to imitate their scent.

Why do manufacturers decide to use synthetic substances?

The answer is simple: because they are cheaper than natural ones .

However, for the users of a given preparation, the most important thing is the quality of the product – and in this case, it decreases, considering that synthetic fragrances may effectively imitate those of natural origin, but are not able to recreate their properties .

Synthetic fragrances also have a stronger allergenic potential .

Fragrances usually play no other role in a cosmetic than to make its application more enjoyable – although some of them can also act as preservatives!

Which is better?

Many people deliberately choose cosmetics that contain natural substances . In 2013, a survey was conducted in which people were asked about the reasons for such a decision:

• 52% of people surveyed cited “curiosity” as the main factor.
• In 38% of respondents, substances of natural origin evoke a "sense of security".
• In 7% of people, the cause was the failure of previously used skin care products.
• 3% of the people surveyed expressed distrust towards, among others, substances of synthetic origin.

It is worth noting that all fragrances (including natural ones) may be hazardous to the skin and may result in, among other things, an allergic contact reaction .

Why should they be avoided?

Fragrances can cause both allergies and direct skin irritation.

Their irritating effect is particularly important in the case of sensitive and atopic skin .

It is estimated that the problem of skin sensitivity to perfumes affects between 0.7% and 2.6% of the entire population.

In contact allergy to fragrances, skin lesions appear only a dozen or several dozen hours after contact with these substances – which is why it is sometimes so difficult to determine which of them are responsible for the inflammatory reaction.

Allergy patch tests are used to diagnose allergies to fragrances .

They consist of applying mixtures containing various allergenic substances to the skin of the back, and then securing these points with patches. After 48 hours, the patches are removed and it is assessed whether there have been allergic reactions at the site where the individual allergens were applied. The skin is assessed again, usually after 24 hours, sometimes after an additional few days.

Contact allergy cannot be cured – that is, it is not possible to use desensitization so that its symptoms will never appear again during contact with the allergenic substances. However, its symptoms can be alleviated.

The potential harmful effects of a fragrance in a cosmetic depend on how long the product has contact with the skin. For example, in the case of creams or lotions that are not rinsed off after use, their ingredients have a longer effect on the skin than in the case of products that are rinsed off with water (e.g. shower gel).

The longer the exposure, the greater the risk of irritation and allergies.