Fragrance

Parfum

Parfum, or Fragrance on US labels, is not one ingredient. It is the word a label uses for a scent mixture, which can contain many substances that are not listed one by one. In the EU, certain fragrance substances known to cause allergies must also be named separately above set levels, so you may see names such as Linalool or Limonene near the end of the list.

In the Fragrance group

Checked against 5 sources on 11 October 2026. How pages are written

What the word covers

EU law says perfume and aromatic compositions, and their raw materials, are listed under the term Parfum or Aroma.¹ In the US, fragrance and flavour ingredients can be listed simply as Fragrance or Flavor, and companies are not required to reveal the components, which are treated as trade secrets.²³

Fragrance allergens named separately

EU labels must name a fragrance allergen individually when it is present above 0.001% in a leave-on product or 0.01% in a rinse-off product.⁴ For years that applied to 24 substances. In 2023 the EU lengthened the list on the advice of its scientific committee.⁴

Products placed on the EU market after 31 July 2026 must follow the longer list; products already placed before then may be sold until 31 July 2028.⁴ For a while, packs printed under both rules will sit side by side.

In the US, the FDA notes that it does not have the same legal authority to require allergen labelling for cosmetics as it has for food.³

Fragrance and skin

Some components of fragrance mixtures can cause allergic reactions or sensitivities in some people.³ In a study that patch-tested about 3,100 adults from the general population in five European countries, close to 2% reacted to each of the two standard fragrance test mixes.⁵

If you know you react to a particular fragrance substance, the separately named allergens are the useful part of the label. Parfum on its own cannot tell you whether that substance is in the mixture or not.

Fragrance-free and unscented

The two are not the same. The FDA notes that even some products labelled unscented may contain fragrance ingredients, and suggests that people concerned about sensitivities may want to choose products that are fragrance free.³ The ingredient list is the better check: look for Parfum, Fragrance or Aroma, and for named fragrance substances.

What it does in a formula

Adds scentOfficial EU function: Perfuming

Why some people watch for it

Fragrance

Some people prefer unscented products, and people with sensitive skin often look for fragrance because it is one of the ingredient types most often linked to skin reactions.

A group is a fact about the ingredient, not a judgement of it.

Sources

Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council on cosmetic products, consolidated text of 1 May 2025, Articles 14, 19 and 33. Official Journal of the European Union. eur-lex.europa.eu Checked 10 October 2026.
US Food and Drug Administration. Cosmetics Labeling Guide (content current as of 25 February 2022). fda.gov Checked 10 October 2026.
US Food and Drug Administration. Fragrances in Cosmetics (content current as of 28 February 2022). fda.gov Checked 10 October 2026.
Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 of 26 July 2023 amending Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 as regards labelling of fragrance allergens in cosmetic products. eur-lex.europa.eu Checked 10 October 2026.
Diepgen TL, et al. Prevalence of contact allergy in the general population in different European regions. British Journal of Dermatology 2016;174(2):319-29. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Checked 10 October 2026.

Written for this site from the sources above and checked against them on 11 October 2026. Not reviewed by a dermatologist or toxicologist, and not medical advice. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.