Cosmetic regulation allows a perfume formula to be listed under a single umbrella term like ‘parfum’ or ‘fragrance’ specifically to protect it as a trade secret, since listing every individual ingredient would let competitors reverse-engineer a proprietary blend.

It isn’t a total free pass, though

Even with this allowance, a defined list of known allergens still has to be individually declared on the label once present above a certain concentration, so the most commonly reactive ingredients are not hidden from consumers who need to check for sensitivities. What stays undisclosed under the ‘fragrance’ umbrella is mainly the exact recipe and proportions — the specific combination that makes a scent commercially distinct — rather than every single material with no exceptions at all.

  • Protects the specific formula as commercial intellectual property
  • Known allergens above a set threshold must still be listed individually
  • This is standard practice across the fragrance industry, not unique to any one brand

The specific list of allergens requiring disclosure has expanded over the years as regulators respond to new research, so it’s worth checking a product’s label directly if you have a known sensitivity, rather than relying on memory of older rules.

This is broadly similar across most of Europe and the UK, since fragrance labelling rules in this area are closely aligned between the two jurisdictions even after Brexit.

Our guide to perfume ingredients goes into this in more detail, and our complete guide to perfume covers labelling more broadly.