Fragrance/Parfum
Fragrance (US) or Parfum (EU) is a generic umbrella term on cosmetic ingredient lists that refers to a blend of aromatic chemicals used to impart a pleasant scent to a product. On average, a single "fragrance" entry is composed of 30 to 50 individual chemicals, but can contain up to 200 components. Because it is a collective term, the specific constituent chemicals are not disclosed to consumers.
Fragrance serves a purely aesthetic, perfuming function in cosmetic products, contributing a pleasant scent to the finished formulation. It provides no established skin-care benefit.
Fragrance is the number one cause of contact allergy to cosmetics and is strongly advised against for those with sensitive skin. Both natural and synthetic fragrances carry allergenic potential, with natural fragrance potentially being equally or more allergenic than synthetic. The opaque nature of the term means consumers cannot identify which specific chemicals are present.
