Two rulebooks decide what goes into a perfume. One is written by the industry. The other is law.
Two rulebooks
Two kinds of rules shape what goes into a perfume. The first is the IFRA Standards. IFRA is an industry body. Its Standards bind its members but they are not law.
The second kind is law. In the EU that is the Cosmetics Regulation. In the US it is the federal cosmetics law and the new powers MoCRA gave FDA. A law applies to every product sold in that market, whoever made it.
So when you read that a material was “banned,” ask which rulebook banned it. The six entries below explain each one and what it means for the bottle in your hand.
The six entries
What are the IFRA Standards and what changed in the 51st Amendment?
The IFRA Standards are safety rules written by the International Fragrance Association, an industry body. They ban, limit or set purity rules for fragrance materials. Members must follow them. The 51st Amendment was notified on 30 June 2023 and added 47 new Standards. Its last deadline for existing fragrances passed on 30 October 2025. The 52nd is expected in January 2027.
Read the entry →Which fragrance allergens must be listed on EU cosmetic labels?
EU law lists fragrance allergens in Annex III of the Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009. A product must name each one above 0.001% in leave-on products or 0.01% in rinse-off products. Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 added 56 more. New products must comply from 31 July 2026. Older stock can be sold until 31 July 2028.
Read the entry →Do US perfume labels have to list fragrance allergens under MoCRA?
Not yet. MoCRA was signed on 29 December 2022. It told FDA to propose a fragrance allergen labeling rule by 29 June 2024. FDA missed that date. As of 5 November 2026 no proposed rule has been published. FDA’s agenda targets November 2026. Until a final rule exists a US label can still just say “fragrance.”
Read the entry →Which perfume ingredients are banned or restricted?
Two rulebooks decide. IFRA is the fragrance industry’s own body and its Standards cap or ban materials for its members. EU law bans substances in Annex II of the Cosmetics Regulation and caps others in Annex III. Lyral and the oakmoss allergens atranol and chloroatranol had to leave EU shelves by 23 August 2021. Lilial followed on 1 March 2022. Musk ambrette is banned under both.
Read the entry →How do I read the ingredients on a perfume box?
Read the list from the top. Ingredients run from most to least by weight, and those under 1% can sit in any order. “Parfum” stands for the whole scent formula. On an EU box any listed allergen above a tiny threshold is then named on its own, such as Linalool or Coumarin. A US box usually just says “fragrance.”
Read the entry →How can I tell if a perfume has been reformulated?
Reformulated means the house changed the formula but kept the name. New rules are a main cause. Shortages and cost are others. On an EU box check the ingredient list: a missing “Butylphenyl Methylpropional” or “Evernia Prunastri Extract” is a real clue. Compare batch codes and read what the house says. Often the box can’t settle it, because most of the formula hides behind “parfum.”
Read the entry →