Do you like fragrance? But have you been made to think it's bad for your skin? You're not alone!
In recent years, fragrance has garnered a very bad reputation in the skincare community. But fragrance in skincare is a little more nuanced than calling it outright bad. So, we thought it’s time we do some myth-busting around fragrance in skincare.
MYTH 1: FRAGRANCE CAUSES IRRITATION AND ALLERGY FOR MOST PEOPLE
Fragrance sensitivity is prevalent in about 5% of the population. So, if you have a known allergy or sensitivity to fragrance, then you must avoid it by all means. But for the remaining 95%, it is absolutely okay to use and enjoy skincare products with fragrance.
MYTH 2: FRAGRANCE ADDS NO VALUE TO SKINCARE
Without fragrance, the base formula generally smells like crayons. Your skincare ritual should not be an unpleasant experience. So, a masking fragrance (which you may not even be able to smell in some cases) is usually needed to neutralize any unpleasant smell from the base formula. A sensorial experience with skincare is just as important a value addition as the functional experience.
MYTH 3: ALL TYPES OF FRAGRANCE INDUCE SENSITIVITY
Just as with all ingredients in skincare, even when it comes to fragrance ingredients, it's the dose that decides the poison i.e in this case - sensitivity. Fragrance molecules used under permissible dosage induce absolutely no sensitivity but in fact they elevate the skincare experience up by a notch. What also matters is the type of fragrance being used - natural, synthetic, whether non allergenic, non-alcoholic etc. that determines the irritation properties of that fragrance molecule.
With all that said, it’s important that you think about your personal experiences with fragrance before you decide to go fragrance-free or use fragrance based on popular opinion. Because what works well for our skin is always the best choice!
If you have any more questions about fragrance, just drop them in the comments below.