Hop into the reviews section of a skincare product that doesn’t smell great, and you’ll be greeted with multiple 1-star reviews bemoaning the unpleasant scent. But did you know that added synthetic fragrance in skincare products can cause acne, clogged pores, and adverse skin reactions?
If added fragrance in skincare products can be harmful, why do so many products contain fragrances? One common reason is to mask the smell of natural ingredients that aren’t properly preserved.
Sometimes skincare companies use fragrances to mask a poorly preserved naturally occurring ingredient, like a fruit or vegetable. Brands can use this technique to skimp out on adding the necessary preservatives to keep those potentially useful ingredients fresh and effective. Adding a synthetic fragrance can mask the smell of an ingredient that is breaking down and expiring.
While some fragrance in your skincare routine is ok, too much can lead to acne, clogged pores, and irritated skin. People who have inflammatory skin conditions, like rosacea, eczema, and psoriasis, should avoid excessive fragrance in their skincare routine. Likewise, anyone who has had an adverse skin reaction to a product in the past should minimize or eliminate fragrance in skincare products.
So, how can you tell if your skincare products use fragrance?
The quickest way is to take a peek at the ingredients list - many brands will use the terms ‘fragrance’ or ‘perfume’ in their ingredient lists. Some fragrances are harder to spot: linalool and limonene are both fragrances, created with oils like lavender, lemon, and coriander.
At Cure, we’ve formulated our entire skincare line to be fragrance-free. This is because we’ve created our products with sensitive skin in mind – and added synthetic fragrances are a gamble for those with sensitive skin.
Whether you’re looking to upgrade your skincare cabinet to be fragrance-free, or are taking your first steps into the vast world of skincare, we hope this overview of fragrance in skincare products can be helpful to you.