FRAGRANCE-FREE BEAUTY IS THE LATEST FAD

UNSCENTED PRODUCTS ARE RECOMMENDED BY DERMATOLOGISTS AS THEY DO NOT HAVE “ADDED INGREDIENTS” WHICH MAY HARM SENSITIVE SKIN

In the beauty segment, fragrance has been an important aspect of the overall sensorial experience up until now. Brands used fragrance as a means to enhance the product experience besides the tactile aspects. However, added fragrance has always been one of the most common irritants in skincare, irrespective of whether it’s used in a synthetic form or is derived from a natural source (like plants/ flowers/ seed oil). .

Odorless products are trending among beauty enthusiasts as they want to avoid artificial scents that can cause allergic reactions.

WHAT IS UNSCENTED BEAUTY?

Primarily it is the absence of synthetic fragrance (read alcohol). It is one less chemical taken off the product which does nothing other than adding a fragrance, which can easily be skipped. According to K.

Venkataramani, MD of Health & Glow Pvt. Ltd, “The presence of added fragrance does not convert to any additional advantage/value. Rather, it may cause reactions to sensitive skin or may harm the skin barrier in certain cases. Odourless products definitely are the preferred choice — one chemical less is only welcome. However, products with odour derived from natural essential oils are equally preferred. Fragrances are primarily volatile compounds; they evaporate and react with sunlight causing ozone pollution. Hence, odourless products definitely should be our go to choice when it comes to the wellness of our planet.”

STICK TO NATURAL SCENTS

A beautiful, wafting scent helps cover up the product’s less-than-pleasing normal smell. But there are ingredients and formulary steps that can be taken that result in a neutralsmelling or fragrance-free product. In other words, adding what’s referred to as a “masking fragrance” to products isn’t a necessity. Janvi Kapadia, brand manager at Quench Botanics, mentions, “For someone who has sensitive skin, ‘added masking fragrances’ could be a cause for concern as one may experience irritation or an allergic reaction from the unknown ingredients. Hence we have seen the trend of fragrance-free skincare products being adopted swiftly. Avoiding these has become even a simpler decision to make for product developers. Many brands stick to fragrances that are generally natural like essential oils (Lavender oil, Tea tree oil, etc.) which also come with their own benefits of being natural.”

THE PURPOSE OF ADDING FRAGRANCE TO ANY SKINCARE PRODUCT IS TO EITHER COVER THE NATURAL SMELL OF OTHER INGREDIENTS USED IN THE FORMULATION OR TO ADD A CERTAIN AROMA THAT CAN BE INVITING TO THE CONSUMERS. WHILE THE RIGHT CHEMICALS CAN SOLVE A LOT OF SKIN CONCERNS, THE ADDED FRAGRANCE WILL ONLY EITHER IRRITATE THE SKIN OR HAVE NO EFFECT AT ALL.

FRAGRANCE-FREE VS ODORLESS:

The purpose of adding fragrance to any skincare product is to either cover the natural smell of other ingredients used in the formulation or to add a certain aroma that can be inviting to the consumers. While the right

chemicals can solve a lot of skin concerns, the added fragrance will only either irritate the skin or have no effect at all. With consumers moving towards effective solutions, demanding transparency in ingredient listings, and realizing that fragrance can do more harm than good, more and more brands are opting for fragrance-free formulations. However, there’s a technical difference between the terms fragrance-free and odorless. Mohit Yadav, Co-founder of beauty brand Minimalist, explains, “Fragrance-free products don’t contain any added fragrance but the product will have the natural fragrance of the ingredients/actives; while odorless products contain an extra ingredient that works as a masking agent to cover/kill the natural fragrance of the formulation. For a skincare brand that’s meant to provide efficient solutions, product formulation is never centered on fragrance. In fact, fragrance has nothing to do with either the efficacy of the product or the shelf life.”

LOOK FOR GOOD INGREDIENTS:

While fragrancefree doesn’t mean chemicalfree, responsible beauty enthusiasts will always go for less added ingredients. Many dermatologists prescribe fragrance-free products for people with sensitive or dry skin. Somebody who gets rashes soon should avoid products that have high content of added colours or smell, says Dr. Nishita Ranka, a dermatologist and founder of Dr Nishita’a

“MOST UNSCENTED CLEANSERS HAVE INGREDIENTS LIKE STERILE ALCOHOL THAT’S USUALLY NONFOAMING (WHICH MEANS THEY DO NOT LEATHER BUT THEY WILL CLEAN YOUR FACE), SO THEY ARE SOAP-FREE AND VERY MILD ON YOUR SKIN. THE MOISTURIZERS FOR SENSITIVE SKIN CONTAIN INGREDIENTS LIKE CERAMIDES, OATMEAL, AND MILDER INGREDIENTS THAT DO NOT IRRITATE YOUR SKIN.”

— DR NISHITA RANKA

“FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS SENSITIVE SKIN, ‘ADDED MASKING FRAGRANCES’ COULD BE A CAUSE FOR CONCERN AS ONE MAY EXPERIENCE IRRITATION OR AN ALLERGIC REACTION FROM THE UNKNOWN INGREDIENTS. HENCE WE HAVE SEEN THE TREND OF FRAGRANCE-FREE SKINCARE PRODUCTS BEING ADOPTED SWIFTLY. AVOIDING THESE HAS BECOME EVEN A SIMPLER DECISION TO MAKE FOR PRODUCT DEVELOPERS.”

— JANVI KAPADIA

Clinic for Skin, Hair & Aesthetics.

She informs about some common ingredients that are used in the beauty and cosmetic industry for products that suit most skin types. She says, “Most unscented cleansers usually have ingredients like sterile alcohol that’s usually non-foaming (which means they do not leather but they will clean your face), so they are soap-free and very mild on your skin. The moisturizers for sensitive skin contain ingredients like ceramides, oatmeal, and milder ingredients that do not irritate your skin and are used in unscented formulations. Sunscreens without any fragrance would usually contain zinc oxide type of ingredients which form a protective shield on the face; whereas, a chemical sunscreen or the mineral sunscreen gets absorbed into the skin and blocks sun rays.”