What Is Really Hiding Behind “Fragrance”?

The Truth About Synthetic Fragrance, Skin, Hormones & Ingredient Transparency

Rooted Wisdom Botanical Brief™

By Petal & Root®

You have probably seen it countless times on a cosmetic ingredient list: Fragrance.

It may appear near the end of the list, tucked between otherwise recognizable ingredients such as aloe, botanical extracts, or plant oils. Or it may be prominently featured on the front of the package with words such as fresh, botanical, clean, natural, or spa-inspired.

But what exactly is hiding behind that one word? The answer is more complicated than the beauty industry sometimes makes it sound.

In the United States, cosmetic manufacturers are generally permitted to identify fragrance mixtures simply as “Fragrance” or “Flavor” rather than disclosing every individual fragrance component on the consumer ingredient label. FDA explains that fragrance formulas may contain complex mixtures of natural and synthetic chemicals and may qualify for trade secret protection.

That does not mean every product containing “fragrance” is dangerous. Nor does it mean every synthetic fragrance chemical is a hormone disruptor. It does mean that consumers often cannot determine from the label exactly which fragrance chemicals they are being exposed to. Fragrance is not simply about whether something smells pleasant. It is about what chemicals create that scent, how much you are exposed to, how often you use them, how your body responds, and whether the formulation is transparent enough for you to make an informed choice.

What Does “Fragrance” Actually Mean?

Under U.S. cosmetic labeling regulations, a fragrance can be declared collectively as “Fragrance” rather than listing every individual fragrance ingredient.

A fragrance composition can contain numerous substances, including aromatic compounds, solvents, fixatives, natural materials, synthetic molecules, and other components used to create, modify, stabilize, or extend a scent. The importance here is that the word “fragrance” does not tell you whether the scent is natural or synthetic. A formula labeled simply “Fragrance” could contain synthetic fragrance materials, naturally derived materials, or a combination of both. And unlike natural esential oils, you cannot look at the word “fragrance” and know exactly what substances are present. The FDA specifically acknowledges that fragrance formulas are often complex mixtures and that fragrance ingredients can be protected as trade secrets.

So is “Fragrance” automatically unsafe?

Not exactly. The fact that an ingredient is undisclosed does not prove that it is harmful. Cosmetic manufacturers are legally responsible for ensuring that their products are safe under labeled or customary conditions of use, although cosmetics generally do not require FDA premarket approval. The concern is transparency and exposure, not the assumption that every fragrance formula is toxic.

Why Is Fragrance Worth Paying Attention To?

There are several different issues that tend to get lumped together under the broad phrase "fragrance toxicity." They are actually quite different:

1. Allergic sensitization and contact dermatitis

2. Skin and respiratory irritation

3. Exposure to volatile and semi-volatile chemicals

4. Potential endocrine activity from certain fragrance associated chemicals

5. Cumulative exposure from using many fragranced products every day

The evidence is strongest for some of these concerns and considerably more uncertain for others. Understanding that difference is far more useful than simply labeling all fragrance as "toxic."

Fragrance Allergy Is a Real and Well Established Concern

One of the strongest scientific reasons to be cautious with fragrance is allergic contact dermatitis.

Certain fragrance substances can sensitize the immune system. Once someone becomes sensitized, subsequent exposure can cause an inflammatory skin reaction.

Symptoms may include:

• Redness

• Itching

• Burning

• Swelling

• Dryness

• Scaling

• Rash

• Eczema-like patches

Fragrance allergy can occur on the face, eyelids, neck, hands, and other areas where fragranced products are applied or transferred.

A 2024 review published in Acta Dermato-Venereologica describes fragrance materials as common contact sensitizers and notes that fragrance contact allergy remains widespread internationally.

A 2024 systematic review of European dermatitis patients found positive patch-test reactions to fragrance mix I in approximately 6.8% of tested patients and fragrance mix II in approximately 3.6%. These numbers apply to people who were patch tested because of dermatitis, not the general population, so they should not be interpreted as the prevalence of fragrance allergy in everyone.

The message remains clear: Fragrance allergy is not hypothetical. It is a recognized dermatological problem.

What About Hormones and Endocrine Disruption?

There is not sufficient evidence to conclude that every synthetic fragrance, or every product labeled "Fragrance," disrupts human hormones. However, there is legitimate scientific reason to investigate certain chemicals that may occur in fragranced consumer products.

Phthalates

Certain phthalates have been used historically in cosmetics and fragrance formulations, including diethyl phthalate, or DEP, which has been used as a solvent and fragrance fixative.

The FDA states that DEP appears to be the phthalate still commonly used in cosmetics and that current available information does not indicate a known health risk from DEP as currently used in cosmetics and fragrances. At the same time, because individual fragrance components do not necessarily have to be disclosed on the label, consumers may not be able to determine whether a fragrance contains DEP simply by reading the ingredient list.

This is an important example of why we should not turn legitimate scientific questions into blanket claims.

Other phthalates, particularly those with stronger evidence of endocrine activity, have received considerably more scientific attention.

A 2024 systematic review and meta analysis examining 37 epidemiological studies and nearly 29,000 participants found associations between exposure to DEHP, a well studied phthalate, and several reproductive hormone measures in men. The researchers described DEHP as an endocrine disrupting chemical, but these findings concern DEHP exposure specifically, not "fragrance" as a whole.

Another 2025 pilot study involving 140 adults of reproductive age found that greater use of personal care products containing ingredients of concern was associated with higher urinary concentrations of certain phthalate metabolites. Association, however, does not prove that a particular cosmetic product caused the exposure or that the exposure resulted in disease.

What does this mean for your skincare?

The biggest concern is not that every fragrance is harmful. It is that the word "fragrance" can conceal a complex mixture of ingredients that you are not able to identify from the label alone.

That means there may be ingredients or chemical properties within that mixture that you are completely unaware of, including substances that may be irritating, allergenic, sensitizing, or of toxicological concern. You may not even know you are putting those substances on your skin because individual fragrance components are not required to be disclosed. This is where the conversation about hormones needs to be nuanced. "All fragrance disrupts hormones" is not supported by the evidence. A more accurate conclusion is: Some chemicals associated with fragranced and personal care products have endocrine disrupting properties or are being investigated for endocrine effects, while the human health significance of exposure to individual fragrance ingredients at typical cosmetic use levels varies substantially.

The issue is ultimately transparency. If you cannot see the individual components of a fragrance mixture, you cannot make an informed decision about each of them. That does not mean every fragrance contains harmful substances. It means you do not necessarily know what you are being exposed to.

Synthetic Musks: The Long Lasting Fragrance Chemicals

Another group worth knowing about is synthetic musks.

Synthetic musks are used to create or reinforce musky scents and can also act as fixatives, helping fragrance last longer.

Research has detected certain synthetic musks in personal care products, environmental samples, and human biological matrices. A review of synthetic musk compounds found that substances such as galaxolide and tonalide have been detected in human biological Samples, including blood and breast milk. Researchers have also identified dermal exposure, inhalation, and dietary exposure as potential routes.

That sounds alarming, but again, context matters. Detection does not automatically mean toxicity. Finding a chemical in human tissue does not establish that the concentration is harmful or that it causes a particular disease. The research instead tells us that these chemicals can contribute to human exposure and that continued toxicological investigation is warranted. Some synthetic musks have also raised environmental concerns because of their persistence and widespread detection in aquatic environments. For consumers trying to minimize unnecessary chemical exposure, avoiding heavily fragranced products can therefore be a reasonable personal choice.

Fragrance Doesn't Only Stay on Your Skin

When we talk about fragranced products, it is easy to think exclusively about what happens after applying lotion or perfume to the skin. But many fragrance compounds are volatile.

They can enter the air and be inhaled.

This becomes particularly relevant with products such as:

• Perfume

• Body sprays

• Hair sprays

• Scented lotions

• Air fresheners

• Scented cleaning products

• Candles and other fragranced household products

The EPA notes that fragrances can cause adverse reactions in some sensitive individuals and recognizes that exposure may trigger asthma episodes or other symptoms in susceptible people, although the scientific understanding of exactly how fragrance exposure produces these reactions remains an area of ongoing investigation.

The EPA also notes that indoor concentrations of many volatile organic compounds can be substantially higher than outdoor concentrations and that personal care and household products can contribute VOCs to indoor air.

Some fragrance related compounds can also react with ozone indoors, producing secondary pollutants such as particulate matter and formaldehyde. This is one reason reducing unnecessary fragranced products can be a sensible strategy for people who are particularly sensitive to scents or who want to reduce their overall indoor chemical load.

"Natural Fragrance" Does Not Automatically Mean Better

This is where beauty marketing can become especially confusing.

A product may say:

• Natural fragrance

• Plant-based fragrance

• Botanical scent

• Naturally derived fragrance

Those phrases do not necessarily tell you enough about the actual composition. "Natural" does not mean "non-irritating." And "synthetic" does not automatically mean "dangerous."

Some naturally occurring fragrance molecules are among the most well known cosmetic allergens.

Essential oils, for example, contain concentrated mixtures of volatile compounds. Certain constituents can oxidize over time and become more sensitizing.

A 2024 review of fragrance contact allergy specifically included natural complex substances among fragrance materials capable of causing sensitization. This is why ingredient transparency matters more than marketing language.

Essential Oils Require the Same Respect

At Petal & Root®, we choose natural aromatic materials, including cosmetic grade Essential oils, resins, and botanical extracts, when appropriate for a formulation. But we do not believe that "natural" should be used as a synonym for "risk-free." Essential oils are highly concentrated botanical materials. They must be selected carefully, used at appropriate concentrations, formulated responsibly, and evaluated for skin tolerability.

Certain essential oil constituents are recognized fragrance allergens. the question is: What is the ingredient, at what concentration, in what finished formulation, and how much exposure will the consumer actually receive? That is formulation science and it is far more useful than a marketing label.

The Difference Between Fragrance Free and Naturally Scented

These terms are not interchangeable.

Fragrance Free

A genuinely fragrance free product is formulated without added fragrance materials. For people with known fragrance allergy, eczema, highly reactive skin, or fragrance sensitivity, fragrance free products may be preferable. However, consumers should still read the complete ingredient list because "fragrance free" does not necessarily mean the product contains absolutely no aromatic botanical constituents or that every possible source of odor has been eliminated.

Naturally Scented

A naturally scented product may contain aromatic botanical materials such as essential oils, resins, or other naturally derived fragrance materials. That can provide a beautiful sensory experience, but it does not make the product appropriate for everyone. If you are fragrance sensitive, naturally scented products may still trigger a reaction.

What About "Clean Beauty"?

"Clean beauty" sounds reassuring, but there is an important problem: There is no single universally accepted legal definition of "clean beauty" in the United States.

A product can be marketed as clean, natural, botanical, green, or non-toxic without those words providing a complete picture of the formulation. That does not mean every clean beauty brand is misleading consumers. It means you should look beyond the marketing.

Ask:

• What exactly is in the product?

• Is the fragrance fully disclosed?

• Does the brand explain what "natural" means in its formulation?

• Are fragrance allergens addressed appropriately?

• Does the company make evidence based claims rather than fear based claims?

• Can you contact the company and get a meaningful answer?

Transparency is much more valuable than a green label.

How to Make a More Informed Choice

You do not have to eliminate every scented product from your life. Instead, consider your total exposure. If you use scented shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion, perfume, deodorant, laundry products, candles, room sprays, and air fresheners every day, your overall fragrance exposure can become much greater than that from a single product.

A simpler approach is to identify where fragrance is unnecessary.

For example:

Consider choosing fragrance free for:

• Products used around the eyes

• Products used on compromised or highly sensitive skin

• Products intended for babies or children

• Products used frequently over large areas

• Products used by individuals with diagnosed fragrance allergy or eczema

• 
  

Consider reducing unnecessary fragrance in:

• Household cleaners

• Air fresheners

• Laundry products

• Room sprays

• Personal care products that provide no functional benefit from fragrance

And if you enjoy beautifully scented skincare, choose brands that are transparent about the materials they use.

What Petal & Root® Believes

At Petal & Root®, we believe botanical skincare should be beautiful without hiding behind vague ingredient terminology.

When we scent our products, we use carefully selected 100% natural, cosmetic grade essential oils, resins, and botanical aromatic materials, rather than undisclosed synthetic fragrance blends. But transparency also means acknowledging that natural ingredients are not automatically risk free.

Our goal is not to convince you that every synthetic molecule is dangerous or that every natural ingredient is harmless. Our goal is much simpler:

• Know what you are using

• Understand why its there

• Use appropriate concentrations

• Respect the biology of your skin

• And never confuse marketing language with scientific evidence

That is what informed skincare looks like.

The Bottom Line

The word "fragrance" is not proof that a product is harmful. But it also does not tell you enough about the complete fragrance composition to make a fully informed decision about individual fragrance chemicals. Some fragrance ingredients are well established allergens. Some fragrance associated chemicals have raised endocrine or toxicological concerns. Some synthetic musks can persist in the environment and have been detected in human biological samples.

Fragranced products can also contribute volatile chemicals to indoor air, and some sensitive individuals experience respiratory or other adverse reactions. At the same time, the science does not support the blanket claim that all synthetic fragrance causes hormone disruption, cancer, or systemic toxicity. Responsible natural skincare should be built on transparency, formulation science, appropriate concentrations, and evidence, not fear.

You deserve to know what goes onto your skin. You deserve to understand the ingredients you are choosing. And you deserve brands willing to tell you the truth, even when the truth is more nuanced than a marketing slogan.

At Petal & Root®, that is the standard we hold ourselves to. Your skin is worth knowing what you are putting on it.

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