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All about fragrance-free skincare and make-up

26 February 2020 | By Renee Fortune

It's a conundrum many of us with sensitive face - do you choose facial products that have a luxurious scent, despite the fact that you know they can wreak havoc on your skin?

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Unfortunately, fragrance, whether natural or synthetic, can wreak havoc on the skin, especially for the more sensitive among us. What makes your nose happy won’t necessarily make your skin happy. Fragranced products can cause dryness, redness and itching. In serious cases, fragranced products can cause contact dermatitis and other allergic reactions, including asthma. If you can relate to experiencing these symptoms, you might want to opt for fragrance-free skincare and makeup. Here’s everything you need to know about how skin reacts to fragrance and how to make sure you’re choosing the right products for your skin. 

Why do scented products irritate the skin?

Trade-secret laws allow perfume and cosmetic producers to not divulge the specific formulas for their products. For this reason, while brands are obligated by law to provide a list of ingredients with the product, they can label “fragrance” as simply that, without necessarily listing all the different natural or synthetic fragrance enhancers used in the product. This can still place consumers with skin sensitivities at risk of being exposed to an ingredient that may trigger an allergic reaction. 

In most cases, where there is a scented cosmetic, there is a group of petroleum-based chemicals called phthalates. These chemicals ensure that the product’s liquid elements are suspended and evenly distributed, allowing the product to blend completely. But, today there is evidence that phthalates disrupt the hormonal balance in certain people. Fortunately, there are many alternatives to scented products that will get the job done just as well, without causing irritation.

Clicks Expert Sensitive Body Wash // Clinique Clarifying Lotion // Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skin Protection Fragrance Free // Avene Sun SPF50 Fragrance Free Cream // Shea Moisture African Black Soap Bar

What is the main difference between the terms "unscented" and "fragrance-free" skincare and make-up?

From fragrance-free foundation to fragrance-free BB and CC creams, if scent-free is the way you want to go with your beauty regime, you have some serious options. But what is the difference between unscented and fragrance-free skincare and makeup? It may seem like mere semantics but there is a subtle difference. Unscented moisturisers, for example, may have certain fragranced ingredients added to it to make it smell neutral or like it has no scent at all. And of course, that still counts as being fragranced. Fragrance-free moisturisers, however, contain no scented additives at all, meaning that the natural way that the product smells when it is produced, is exactly what you get. There may still, of course, be some form of scent in fragrance-free sun-care for example, so fragrance-free does not necessarily mean “odour-free.” This usually occurs when the raw ingredients themselves have their own natural scents, which in turn are not masked by other added scents. 

Do natural scents cause sensitivity?

An important thing to remember is that even natural fragrances like essentials oils, can cause irritation and sensitivity. One way of making sure you choose products that won’t set off an allergic reaction, is to try a small amount of the tester on the inside of your wrist and wait at least an hour for any reaction to occur, before buying the product. 

How can you protect your sensitive skin from fragrances?

If you’re looking for a fragrance-free lip balm that doesn’t need to capture the smell of the tropics, then you’re in luck, because there are options. In a world where people don’t necessarily want all of their beauty products to have different smells that are competing for attention, “fragrance-free” is becoming quite the buzzword. Fragrance-free skincare and makeup is usually clearly labelled. To make doubly sure, you can always check that “fragrance,” or “parfum” is not on the ingredients list at all. Alternatively, if you want to wear certain scents and ditch others, choose products that display the list of essential oils on the label rather than keeping them a secret. In today’s world of conscious consumerism, the more transparent a brand is, the more trust it gains in the market.

IMAGE CREDIT: 123rf.com

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