Good news for allergy sufferers – bad news for perfume manufacturers

Will Channel No. 5 and Miss Dior disappear from drugstore and perfumery shelves? How will new European Union regulations impact the European perfume industry and consumers? The European Union is planning to ban certain fragrances that trigger allergies. This means, among other things, the end of oakmoss, a potentially dangerous allergen that gives Chanel No. 5 its musky aroma. These allergens will disappear completely The EU wants to ban the use of three fragrances in perfumes that are hazardous to health – HICC, atranol, and chloroatranol – responsible for, among other things, some woody scents. They cause severe skin and respiratory allergies. The content of plant aromas will be reduced to 0.01% The European Union's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has also identified 12 other allergenic chemicals and eight natural extracts. These include oils responsible for rose and citrus notes, as well as coumarin. Their concentration in perfume formulas should be limited to 0.01%. Producers will face additional obligations The new directive requires perfume manufacturers to include allergy warnings. Packaging must include information about potential allergens in the ingredients. The blacklist of hazardous ingredients has been expanded from 26 to 80. This is not a ban on the sale of perfumes The European Union's goal is to protect allergy sufferers. However, it doesn't intend to ban the sale of specific perfumes. If a cosmetic contains a prohibited allergen, the manufacturer should eliminate it and change the perfume's formula or replace it with another substance. The planned regulations will affect the condition of the perfume market Instead of creating new perfumes, producers will be forced to find substitutes for banned ingredients. This means less work on new fragrances and more on replacing existing ones.