Fragrance (parfum)

"Fragrance", often listed on labels as "parfum" or "aroma", refers to the blend of scent ingredients added to a product. A single fragrance entry can represent dozens of individual compounds, which may be synthetic, derived from essential oils, or a mixture of both. In many regulatory systems the specific components can be grouped under this one word, because a fragrance blend is treated as proprietary information.

Fragrance is added for two main reasons: to give a product a pleasant smell that improves the experience of using it, and to mask the raw, sometimes unappealing base odour of the other ingredients. In this second role even some "unscented" products can contain masking fragrance. Scent is a significant driver of how products are chosen and enjoyed, which is why it is so widely included.

From a skin standpoint, fragrance is one of the more common triggers of irritation and allergic contact reactions. Reactions vary from mild stinging or redness to persistent contact dermatitis, and sensitisation can build up over repeated exposure rather than appearing immediately. Because of this, many products aimed at sensitive, reactive, or compromised skin are formulated fragrance-free.

• A pleasant scent does not indicate how a product performs, and an unpleasant one does not mean a product is ineffective.
• Some jurisdictions require named fragrance allergens to be listed separately once they exceed set thresholds, which can help those tracking specific triggers.
• For known fragrance sensitivity, a fragrance-free product is generally the more reliable choice than a naturally or lightly scented one.