Fragrance Ingredients - Safety Aspects

Question 1

What are the 3 roles of fragrances?

Answer 1

1. Influence consumer purchases
   - support product’s function, emphasise specific imagery, emphasise presence of specific ingredients
2. Mask odours
3. Actual functionality
   - certain essential oils have antimicrobial properties

Question 2

Difference between hazard and risk?

Answer 2

Hazard:
- potential to cause injury, intrinsic properties, no relation to dose/exposure

Risk:

• probability of harm
• relation with exposure

Question 3

What are the 3 classifications of the IFRA Standards?

Answer 3

1. Prohibited
2. Restricted
3. Specification

Question 4

Difference b/w skin irritation & skin sensitisation?

Answer 4

Skin irritation:
- redness/swelling
- usually disappears after irritant is removed
Skin sensitisation:
- some ingredients penetrate through skin causing immune response
e.g. certain citrus peel oils contain natural photoxic ingredients - “furocoumarins”

Question 5

Under SG’s HSA regulations, do we need to disclose all fragrance ingredients?

Answer 5

No, especially if sole purpose of product is to impart a scent, can just put it collectively as “perfume/fragrance”

Question 6

For EU cosmetic regulations, what else must be disclosed?

Answer 6

Must mention if there are substances present above a specified level that may cause an allergic reaction