Europe now names about 80 scent allergens, while U.S. labels can still say “fragrance”

Key takeaways

• In a 2016 national online survey, 34.7% of U.S. adults said fragranced products had caused them health problems such as migraines or breathing trouble, though the answers were self-reported¹.
• Among 3,056 people patch-tested at North American skin clinics in 2021 and 2022, the fourth most common allergen was oxidized linalool, which forms when a scent compound found in lavender and jasmine reacts with air⁴⁶⁷.
• Since July 31, 2026, cosmetics newly placed on the European Union market must name about 80 fragrance allergens on the label once they pass set limits, up from 24⁸⁹.
• A 2022 U.S. law told FDA to propose a fragrance-allergen labeling rule by June 29, 2024; as of October 2026, the federal agenda lists that proposal for November 2026, so U.S. labels can still say just “fragrance”¹⁰¹¹.
• FDA says “unscented” products may still contain fragrance used to mask other odors, so read the full ingredient list instead¹¹.

In 2021 and 2022, dermatologists at 12 clinics across North America patch-tested 3,056 people with suspected skin allergies⁴. A patch test places small amounts of possible allergens on the skin, usually the back, to see which ones cause a rash.

Nickel topped the list, as it had in the previous round⁴⁵. But in fourth place, ahead of cobalt, was a compound called linalool hydroperoxide. It caused reactions in 10.1% of the people tested⁴.

Linalool is a floral scent molecule that occurs naturally in lavender, rosewood and jasmine⁶. When it sits in air, though, it reacts with oxygen and forms compounds that can trigger skin allergy⁷.

That finding sums up a hard truth about scent. Some of the ingredients that bother people most come from plants. And in the United States, a label can still hide all of them behind one word: “fragrance”¹¹.

This guide covers who reacts to scents and how, why “natural” doesn’t mean gentle, what Europe’s new labels reveal, and how to build a fragrance-free home or workplace.

A third of Americans in one survey said scents made them sick

The most quoted number comes from Anne Steinemann, then an engineering professor at the University of Melbourne in Australia.

In 2016 she surveyed 1,136 U.S. adults drawn from a large online research panel¹. Her later papers count that sample as 1,137²³.

About 34.7% said fragranced products, such as air fresheners, scented soap, scented cleaning products or someone else’s perfume, had caused them health problems¹. Respiratory problems were most common, at 18.6%. Migraine headaches came in at 15.7% and skin problems at 10.6%¹.

More than 15% said they had lost workdays or a job because of scents at work. More than half said they’d prefer a fragrance-free workplace¹.

Steinemann ran the same survey in Australia, the United Kingdom and Sweden. Across all four countries, 32.2% of adults reported reactions, from 27.8% in the U.K. to 34.7% in the U.S.².

People with asthma stood out. Among them, 57.8% reported reactions to scented products, compared with 23.1% of people without asthma³.

These surveys have real limits. People reported their own symptoms, and no doctor confirmed them³. The panels included only adults aged 18 to 65, and each survey captured one moment in time³. People who join online survey panels may also differ from those who don’t.

The same small research team ran all of this work, funded by Australian government research programs³.

So the fairest reading is this: a large share of people believe scents make them unwell, and the pattern repeats across countries. The surveys can’t show which ingredient caused what, or how often the cause was something else.

Skin allergy and breathing trouble are two different problems

“Fragrance sensitivity” covers two kinds of reactions, and they work differently.

Skin allergy is an immune reaction. Once the immune system has learned to treat a chemical as a threat, even a small amount can cause itching, inflamed skin or blisters⁸. Austria’s health and food safety agency notes that this kind of allergy can’t be cured⁸. Avoiding the trigger is the practical answer.

How common is it? Europe’s scientific advisers on consumer safety estimate that 1% to 3% of Europeans are allergic to some fragrance ingredient⁷. The rates look much higher in skin clinics, because those patients already have rashes.

In the 2019 to 2020 North American round, 12.8% of the 4,121 patients tested reacted to “fragrance mix I,” a standard screening blend of scent allergens. Another 11.1% reacted to oxidized linalool⁵.

Breathing and headache reactions are harder to pin down. The best numbers come from surveys, in which people describe their own symptoms, and from public health case tracking¹¹².

The clearest data on breathing come from California’s state surveillance of asthma caused or worsened by work. From 1993 to 2012, investigators confirmed 270 cases linked to fragrance¹².

Most of those cases, 242, involved perfume or cologne. Another 32 involved air fresheners, and a few involved both¹². Together, they made up 3.8% of all confirmed work-related asthma cases¹².

Nearly all of those workers, 94%, were women, often in offices, health care or schools¹². Nearly a quarter had developed asthma for the first time. Half were still exposed on the job, and 30% had workers’ compensation claims denied¹².

“Natural” scents carry many of the same allergens

It’s natural to assume a plant oil is gentler than a lab-made perfume. The skin doesn’t sort them that way.

In 2012, the European Union’s Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety reviewed the evidence on scent allergens. It counted 82 substances as established causes of skin allergy in people. Of those, 54 were single chemicals and 28 were natural extracts, such as essential oils⁷.

Some plant compounds become stronger allergens with time. Limonene, linalool and geraniol react with oxygen in the air and form allergens⁷⁸. Others, such as eugenol, are changed inside the body into the form that triggers a reaction⁸.

The committee found that no safe level could be set for the natural extracts it was concerned about. It added that any limit on an allergen applies just the same when that allergen arrives inside an essential oil⁷.

U.S. rules take a similar view. FDA says there is no legal definition of an “essential oil,” and plant-based ingredients are treated like ingredients from any other source¹¹.

There’s a fair counterpoint. A 2024 study in Malmö, Sweden, retested patients who had reacted to oxidized linalool on an earlier patch test, and 13 of them no longer reacted⁶. Volunteers then rubbed creams containing oxidized linalool, at levels chosen to match consumer products, into their forearms twice a day for four weeks. Only one person reacted⁶.

Swedish skin-research foundations paid for the study. One author sits on the Expert Panel for Fragrance Safety, and another takes part in a project sponsored by the International Fragrance Association (IFRA)⁶.

A positive patch test, in other words, doesn’t always mean everyday products will cause a rash. Our article on lavender explains how aging, opened bottles of oil become more likely to cause skin allergy.

Europe now lists about 80 allergens by name

The European Union started requiring 26 scent allergens on cosmetic labels in 2003⁸. Two of them were later banned outright, leaving 24⁸⁹.

Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 adds 56 more, based on that 2012 scientific review⁹. Once a listed allergen passes 0.001% of a product left on the skin, such as lotion, or 0.01% of a product that’s washed off, such as shampoo, it must appear by name in the ingredient list⁸⁹.

Companies got time to adjust. Since July 31, 2026, products newly placed on the market must comply. Older stock can stay on shelves until July 31, 2028⁸.

The list must be on the product itself. A label that exists only online doesn’t count⁸.

Austria’s agency gives an example that shows why this matters for natural products. Picture a product with 1.3% lavandin oil, a lavender hybrid. If that oil is 45% linalool, the product contains about 0.585% linalool, far above the limit, so linalool must be named⁸.

The scientific committee’s reason was practical. When ingredients go unnamed, a doctor can miss a fragrance allergy, and patients can’t avoid what they can’t see⁷.

U.S. labels can still say “fragrance” and stop there

In the United States, cosmetic makers must list ingredients, but they may lump scent ingredients together as “Fragrance” or “Flavor”¹¹. Scent formulas are the ingredients most likely to count as trade secrets, which the labeling law doesn’t force companies to reveal¹¹.

FDA also says it lacks the power to require allergen labels on cosmetics the way it does for food¹¹.

Congress tried to narrow that gap. The Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022, known as MoCRA, told FDA to propose a rule naming fragrance allergens that must be disclosed on labels. The law set a deadline of June 29, 2024¹⁰.

That date passed. The 2026 federal regulatory agenda still lists “Disclosure of Fragrance Allergens in Cosmetic Labeling” at the proposed-rule stage, with a proposal now planned for November 2026 and no Federal Register citation¹⁰. As of mid-October 2026, we found no published proposal. Even once one appears, a final rule will take longer.

MoCRA did change one thing that matters to you. Under the law, companies must now report serious bad reactions to their cosmetics to FDA within 15 business days¹⁴.

Reading the label: a decoder for scent words

Use this table when you shop. It pairs common label wording with what the word does and doesn’t promise.

Label says	What it can mean	What to do
“Fragrance” or “Parfum”	A blend of natural and synthetic ingredients that the label doesn’t itemize11	Skip it if scents bother you, or ask the maker what’s inside11
“Unscented”	No noticeable smell, but masking fragrance may be added11	Read the ingredient list; don’t rely on the word
“Fragrance-free”	FDA’s fragrance page gives the term no definition11	Still check for essential oils and plant extracts listed separately
“Natural fragrance” or “essential oil blend”	Plant oils, which can contain established allergens711	Treat it like any fragrance if you react to scents
Lavender, lavandin or jasmine oil	Can carry linalool, which becomes a stronger allergen as it oxidizes678	Patch-test new products; keep oils tightly capped
“Linalool,” “limonene,” “geraniol” or “eugenol”	European-style allergen disclosure above set limits8	Useful clues if you’ve had a positive patch test

A checklist for a fragrance-sensitive home and workplace

Natural-health values point in a clear direction here. Many readers want to know exactly what touches their skin and fills their air. Full ingredient disclosure serves that goal, and so does the simplest choice of all: fewer scented products.

That doesn’t mean giving up plants or tradition. It means using scent on purpose, in small amounts, where no one else has to breathe it.

At home

• Swap the products that perfume a whole room first: plug-in air fresheners, sprays and scented candles. In the four-country survey, 17.4% of adults said air fresheners caused them health problems².
• Choose personal care products with a complete ingredient list, and look past “unscented” to the list itself¹¹.
• Keep essential oils tightly capped. Air turns linalool and limonene into stronger allergens⁷.
• Try one new product at a time, so you can tell which one causes a reaction.
• If a rash keeps coming back, ask for patch testing, and bring your products or photos of their labels. Ingredient details help doctors aim the testing⁷.

At work or school

• Know your rights. In a guide last updated in 2010, the Job Accommodation Network, a federal service, says some people with fragrance sensitivity meet the legal definition of disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act¹³.
• Ask for specific fixes. Options JAN lists include better indoor air quality, moving a workstation, air purification, a changed schedule and a fragrance-free policy¹³.
• Avoid “air purifiers” that give off ozone. California researchers warn against them¹².
• Push for a written policy, backed by education and enforcement. That’s what the California asthma researchers recommend¹².

A script for a coworker

“I get headaches and chest tightness around strong scents, and I’m trying to sort out my triggers. Would you be willing to skip perfume on days we share the office? I’d appreciate it.” It’s short, personal and doesn’t blame anyone.

What the evidence shows

Claim	Evidence rating	What it rests on
Some fragrance chemicals cause allergic skin rashes	Strong evidence	82 established allergens in an EU expert review; consistent patch-test data457
Oxidized compounds from essential oils, such as linalool, cause skin allergy	Strong evidence for patch-test reactions; Promising but early for how often they cause everyday rashes	High patch-test rates; a small retest study found fewer real-world reactions46
Plant-based scents are safe for people with fragrance allergy	Evidence says no, or unsafe	28 natural extracts are established allergens, and no safe level could be set7
Workplace fragrance is harmless to people with asthma	Evidence says no, or unsafe	270 confirmed work-related asthma cases in California surveillance12
About a third of adults react to fragranced products	Promising but early	Large, consistent surveys, but self-reported and run by one team123

When to get help, and how to report a problem

See a dermatologist or allergist if a rash keeps returning, spreads, or doesn’t clear after you stop a product. Patch testing is how skin clinics look for the cause⁴.

Call 911 if anyone has trouble breathing, wheezing, a hoarse voice or swelling of the face or tongue after an exposure. These can be signs of anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction¹⁵.

To report a reaction to a cosmetic, stop using it and contact your health care provider. Then file a report with FDA through MedWatch online, or call 1-888-723-3366 and choose option 4¹⁴.

Questions readers ask

The bottom line

Scent is personal, and for many people it’s a pleasure. But a sizable minority say scents make them sick, and some fragrance ingredients, including compounds from cherished plant oils, are well-proven skin allergens. Natural origin doesn’t protect your skin.

Europe now makes companies name about 80 of those allergens. In the U.S., the promised rule is overdue, so “fragrance” can still hide the details. Until that changes, read full ingredient lists, don’t trust “unscented,” keep oils capped, and ask for patch testing when rashes return.

Related reading

• The signal word on a cleaner tells you more than “natural” does
• Lavender can mean several plants, and beyond anxiety capsules the evidence is thin
• Lavender is the best-studied sleep scent, though its trials can’t hide the smell
• The ingredient list is a ranking, and most people miss it
• If you’re allergic to ragweed, chamomile, echinacea and feverfew belong to its family

Sources

1. University of Melbourne. “Fragranced products: risks for people and profits?” (on Steinemann A, “Fragranced consumer products: exposures and effects from emissions,” Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health, 2016;9(8):861-866). October 25, 2016. unimelb.edu.au
2. Steinemann A. “International prevalence of fragrance sensitivity.” Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health, 2019;12(8) (James Cook University record). doi.org
3. Steinemann A, Goodman N. “Fragranced consumer products and effects on asthmatics: an international population-based study.” Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health, 2019;12:643-649. researchonline.jcu.edu.au
4. Houle M-C, DeKoven JG, Atwater AR, et al. “North American Contact Dermatitis Group Patch Test Results: 2021-2022.” Dermatitis, 2025 (George Washington University record). hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu
5. DeKoven JG, Warshaw EM, Reeder MJ, et al. “North American Contact Dermatitis Group Patch Test Results: 2019-2020.” Dermatitis, 2023;34(2) (HealthPartners record). healthpartners.com
6. Sukakul T, Bruze M, Mowitz M, Kiuru A, Svedman C. “Allergic Contact Dermatitis to Linalool Hydroperoxides: Pitfalls in the Diagnostic Process.” Dermatitis, 2024;35(4):373-379. contactderm.org
7. European Commission, Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety. Plain-language summary of opinion SCCS/1459/11, “Fragrance allergens in cosmetic products” (adopted June 2012): citizens’ summary and section “Are regulations adequate?” ec.europa.eu and ec.europa.eu
8. Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES). “New fragrance regulation in cosmetics.” Updated February 23, 2026. ages.at
9. Council of the European Union. Document 7839/23, transmitting the draft Commission Regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on labelling of fragrance allergens in cosmetic products. March 27, 2023. data.consilium.europa.eu
10. Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. “Disclosure of Fragrance Allergens in Cosmetic Labeling” (HHS/FDA, RIN 0910-AI90). Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions, 2026 publication (Proposed Rule Stage; NPRM listed for 11/2026; statutory deadline 06/29/2024); accessed October 18, 2026. reginfo.gov
11. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “Fragrances in Cosmetics.” Content current as of February 28, 2022. fda.gov
12. Weinberg JL, Flattery J, Harrison R. “Fragrances and work-related asthma: California surveillance data, 1993-2012.” Journal of Asthma, 2017;54(10):1041-1050 (CDC Stacks copy). stacks.cdc.gov
13. Job Accommodation Network, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy. “Employees with Fragrance Sensitivity.” Accommodation and Compliance Series, updated March 22, 2010. govinfo.gov
14. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “How to Report a Cosmetic Product Related Complaint.” Content current as of October 5, 2026. fda.gov
15. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. “Anaphylaxis.” National Library of Medicine, reviewed January 20, 2026. medlineplus.gov