Fragrance, listed as "parfum" or "fragrance," is a blend of scent ingredients added to make a product smell pleasant. Most people use fragranced products without trouble, but fragrance ingredients are a well-known cause of allergic skin reactions. If you already have a fragrance allergy, even small amounts can set off a rash.
What does "parfum" actually mean on a label?
"Parfum" isn't one ingredient. Under the EU Cosmetics Regulation, perfume and aromatic compositions and their raw materials are listed under the single term "parfum" or "aroma," so one word can stand for a mix of many scent chemicals.1 The individual recipe usually stays private. The US works in a similar way: the FDA notes that certain ingredients may be listed generally as "fragrance" or "perfume" without naming them, and suggests contacting the manufacturer if you have questions about what's inside.2 So "parfum" on its own tells you that a product is scented, but not which scent chemicals it contains or how much of each.
Why do linalool, limonene and citral appear separately?
The EU names certain fragrance substances, known to cause allergies, that must be listed individually alongside "parfum" when they exceed 0.001% in leave-on products or 0.01% in rinse-off products. Long-standing examples include linalool, limonene, citral, citronellol, geraniol, eugenol and coumarin.1 In 2023 the EU extended this rule to the additional fragrance allergens its scientific committee had identified. Products that don't meet the new labeling could be placed on the EU market until 31 July 2026 and sold until 31 July 2028, so older packaging may still show the shorter list.3 These names are there to inform people who already know they're allergic. Seeing linalool on a label doesn't mean a product is unsafe for everyone.
How common is fragrance allergy?
The European Commission estimates that 1–9% of people in the EU are allergic to fragrance allergens. Contact allergy is lifelong, and once someone is sensitized, a much lower concentration can trigger symptoms.3 Oxidation matters too. Linalool and limonene can react with air to form allergenic compounds, and EU rules now treat substances that become allergens this way like fragrance allergens.3 Among 5,773 patients patch tested at a Swedish clinic from 2013 to 2020, 7.0% reacted to oxidized linalool and 5.1% to oxidized limonene.4 In a UK audit of 4,731 patients, 5.9% reacted to linalool hydroperoxides and 5.0% to limonene hydroperoxides, while only 0.2% reacted to the non-oxidized forms alone.5 These were people referred to dermatology clinics, so the figures don't describe the general public.
Who might want to avoid fragrance?
People with a diagnosed fragrance allergy, or who notice rashes that keep coming back where they apply scented products, have the most reason to be cautious. Labels only go so far. The named allergens appear only above the thresholds, and the rest of the blend stays undisclosed. The FDA also points out that terms like "hypoallergenic," "fragrance-free" and "for sensitive skin" have no federal standard or definition in the US, so they can't replace reading the ingredient list.2 If you know which specific allergen affects you, for example from patch testing, you can look for that name on EU-style labels. Choosing fragrance-free products is a reasonable preference for anyone, but it matters most for people who already know they react.
What do regulators say about citral?
Citral shows how the rules distinguish between preventing new allergies and protecting people who are already allergic. In 2024 the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety concluded that citral could be considered safe for the induction of new allergies at the concentrations industry proposed. It added that parts of the assessment method still needed clarification before it could reach a firm conclusion.6 In 2026 the EU then set maximum citral levels by product type, such as 0.15% in general leave-on skin products and 1.2% in rinse-off skin and hair products. Non-compliant products can't be placed on the market from 1 January 2027.7 Those limits aim to reduce new allergies. They don't promise that someone already allergic to citral won't react.
- Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products, Article 19(1)(g) and Annex III (consolidated text of 18 May 2026). European Union, EUR-Lex, 2009 (consolidated 2026). https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:02009R1223-20260518
- Allergens in Cosmetics. US Food and Drug Administration, 2026. https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetic-ingredients/allergens-cosmetics
- Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 amending Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 as regards labelling of fragrance allergens in cosmetic products. European Commission, Official Journal of the EU, 2023. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/1545/oj/eng
- Sukakul T, et al. Contact allergy to oxidized linalool and oxidized limonene: patch testing in consecutive patients with dermatitis. Contact Dermatitis, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1111/cod.13980
- Audrain H, et al. Allergy to oxidized limonene and linalool is frequent in the U.K. British Journal of Dermatology, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjd.13037
- SCCS Opinion on Citral (CAS No 5392-40-5, EC No 226-394-6), sensitisation endpoint, SCCS/1666/24. Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety, European Commission, 2024. https://health.ec.europa.eu/publications/sccs-opinion-citral-cas-no-5392-40-5-ec-no-226-394-6-sensitisation-endpoint_en
- Commission Regulation (EU) 2026/909 amending Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 (including Citral, Annex III entry 70). European Commission, Official Journal of the EU, 2026. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2026/909/oj/eng
Celeiq explains ingredients; it isn't medical advice. If you have a skin condition or reaction, talk to a dermatologist or doctor.