Fragrances in creams: good or bad?

"Each of us has bought body creams at least once in our lives: regardless of any issues, it is our taste that guides us in the choice. For example, when it comes to fragrance. But are fragrances in creams a good or a bad thing?"

Memories enclosed in fragrances

There are significant advantages in adding a fragrance to a cream.

"We are attracted to what we like and for this reason, at the moment of purchase, we tend to choose products that have a fragrance we love."

Accompanying a cream with different fragrances definitely ensures greater sales for the brand and greater happiness for the consumer.

"Indeed, as Marcel Proust says in his famous work 'In Search of Lost Time':"

“"A delicious pleasure had invaded me, isolated, without any notion of cause. And immediately, it had made me indifferent to the vicissitudes, harmless the setbacks, illusory the brevity of life... I no longer felt mediocre, contingent, mortal."

A fragrance is capable of triggering memories that have remained crystallized in our minds for many years and bringing us back to joyful moments of our existence, pleasant memories, and feelings of safety and well-being.

Moreover, there is also a more practical reason why many creams contain fragrances: each cosmetic ingredient has a smell that is often not pleasant, and therefore a fragrance is added to mask their unpleasant odor.

Allergens and other substances contained in the fragrances of creams

Unfortunately, however, there are also several dangers concerning fragrances in creams.

The vast majority of "Fragrances, and therefore also the fragrances of creams, contain in whole or in part synthetic substances, especially phthalates: they are obtained from naphthalene, which in turn is derived from petroleum."

Some fragrances can also cause irritations and allergies such as irritant contact dermatitis and allergic contact dermatitis. They can also cause irritation to the eyes, nose, and throat in some people.

"It is not always easy to identify the exact ingredient that causes irritation: a fragrance can contain from 75 to more than 100 ingredients and, since their formulation is considered a "trade secret" to avoid plagiarism, cosmetic companies are not required to list them all on the packaging."

"They are still required to list at least those 26 that most commonly cause allergic reactions. Here is the list:"

Amyl cinnamal

Benzyl alcohol

Cinnamyl alcohol

Citral

Eugenol

Hydroxy-citronellal

Isoeugenol

Amylcin-namyl alcohol

Benzyl salicylate

Cinnamal

Coumarin

Geraniol

Hydroxy-methylpentylcyclohexenecarboxaldehyde

Anisyl alcohol

Benzyl cinnamate

Farnesol

2-(4-tert-Butylbenzyl) propionaldehyde

Linalool

Benzyl benzoate

Citronellol

Hexyl cinnamaldehyde

d-Limonene

Methyl heptin carbonate

3-Methyl-4-(2,6,6-tri-methyl-2-cyclohexen-1-yl)-3-buten-2-one

Oak moss and treemoss extract

Treemoss extract

Fortunately, the ingredients that make up perfumes are used in such small quantities that the possibility of causing a negative reaction in people is very low. Only those who are allergic to one of these ingredients, or have very sensitive skin., should carefully avoid scented cosmetics.

Indeed, those who suffer from specific dermatitis issues will necessarily have to turn to selected products of 100% ecological biocosmetics. In this case, it will be easier to find plant essences within the perfumes in the creams.

They are extracted from flowers, leaves, fruits, berries, wood, or roots, and the distillation process can occur with alcohol, with heat, or through the technique ofenfleurage, laying the petals on a layer of fat that gradually absorbs their scent and then is distilled.

In the end, it is the consumer who chooses the product that best meets their needs.

"If a certain fragrance in a cream causes discomfort to the skin, there are several high-quality fragrance-free alternatives that avoid any issues."

If, on the other hand, one is not predisposed to any allergies, but rather the fragrance relaxes and enhances the product experience, then it will be possible to use creams containing fragrances completely safely.