Pebl Sensual Cherry & Almond Cream Hair & Body Mist

For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.

The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.

For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.

One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.

Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.

Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.

The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.

Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.

Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.

This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.

Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

As an emollient, polyglyceryl-6 caprylate helps soften skin.

According to the EU, this ingredient is a known allergen and some people may develop skin sensitivity from repeated exposure.

Due to its large molecule size, it doesn't penetrate beyond the skin's surface.

This ingredient has a solid regulatory track record; the CIR Expert Panel first concluded it was safe for use in cosmetics at concentrations up to 100% in 1997. A 2012 reassessment reaffirmed that finding. Safety studies have also found no irritation or evidence of toxicity.

A 2019 study did find this ingredient to grow Malassezia, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.

Vanillism is the term of contact-dermatitis associated with the vanilla plant. The sap of the vanilla plant triggers skin irritation, swelling, and redness.

D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.

Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):

Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.

This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.

Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.

This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.

In many countries, coumarin is banned as a food additive. However, it can be found in soaps, tobacco products, and some alcohol drinks.

Plants use coumarins as a chemical defense. Some plants that have coumarins include lavender, tonka beans, and yellow clovers.

Like all essential oils, this ingredient is a known sensitizer at higher concentrations. This is because this oil also contains known skin-irritating fragrances, limonene and camphor. Limonene and camphor are both known EU allergens.

While patchouli oil holds FDA GRAS ("generally recognized as safe") status, it is typically used at low levels and subject to usage guidelines.

Those with sensitive skin should patch test before using.

The polysaccharides do most of the work: they bind water at the skin surface for a light, non-greasy hydration boost. And one of the polysaccharides, glycomannan, is linked to fibroblast stimulation + collagen synthesis. This is also why aloe has such a long track record in wound and burn healing.

This ingredient is also calming with anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity, making it a great pick for sensitive, irritated, or post-sun skin.

Realistic expectations matter though; the solid evidence is mostly limited to hydration, soothing, and wound support. Deeper claims about anti-aging or sun protection are not well backed, and science reviews note it does not prevent radiation-induced skin injury.

Because it plays well with almost everything, it's commonly used as a base alongside other actives like niacinamide or vitamin C.

Typical usage concentrations range from 0.5% (where hydration benefits already show up) all the way to 90%+ (where it replaces water as the main base).

The safety for this ingredient is well-establish as well. Overall, this is a great supporting ingredient for those who want a boost in hydration.

Just so you know, this oil is one of the most well-documented fragrance allergens in dermatology. About 4-8% of patients tested show a positive reaction in allergen patch testing. Due to this, this ingredient is restricted to a maximum of 0.4% in EU cosmetic products.

Solvents are used to keep ingredients together in a product. They can help dissolve ingredients to stable bases or help evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product.

Due to its fragrance, Benzyl Benzoate can be sensitizing and may cause contact dermatitis. It is a known EU allergen. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.

Benzyl Benzoate can be naturally found in cranberries and peaches.

Because it's one of the most well documented fragrance sensitizers, it's one of the substances that must be individually declared on EU ingredient lists once it exceeds 0.001% in leave on products or 0.01% in rinse off products (regardless of whether it's added on its own or shows up as part of a natural extract).

Industry usage limits are also fairly tight and the recommended maximum dropped from 0.2% to 0.02% in most finished cosmetic products.

On the skin side, Isoeugenol is consistently one of the top individual allergens within the standard patch test screen used by dermatologists.

A large multi-year patch test review found the rate of positive reactions to Isoeugenol was actually trending upward over time and controlled use tests found some sensitized people reacted to concentrations well below 0.01%. Roughly two thirds of people in this review also reacted at the industry recommended max of 0.2%.

It's not a "dangerous" ingredient at regulated concentrations, but is is a well-characterized contact allergen.

There's some lab work behind its reputation; in one study, it acted as an antioxidant and calmed inflammation in human immune cells. But it also killed skin cells (keratinocytes) in a dish.

It stopped damaging those cells and still reduced swelling in mice when the researchers wrapped it in tiny capsules to slow its release.

One study that is quoted out of context frequently: clove oil killed human skin and blood vessel cells at levels as low as 0.03%, and about 73% of that came down to eugenol. Keep in mind those were bare cells sitting in a dish with no skin barrier in the way (which is a lot harsher than what happens on your actual face).

On concentrations, it is restricted to 0.64% in leave-on products + body products, 0.21% in baby + lip products, 2.5% in fine fragrance and 4.9% in rinse-off. Real formulas usually land far below those caps.

Allergy is the actual story with this ingredient. It is one of the eight markers dermatologists use for allergy testing, and the EU requires it to be named on the label above 0.001% in leave-on and 0.01% in rinse-off products.

It is also a prohapten, meaning it needs enzymatic activation in skin to become allergenic, so sensitivity varies between people.

Rates are modest but not trivial: in a classic EECDRG multicentre study, 13 of about 1,300 patch-tested patients reacted to eugenol, and in eugenol-allergic subjects the lowest positive patch test concentration was 0.031%, with 56% reacting in a 21-day repeated open application test at 0.5% to 2.7%.

Normal use levels are generally fine if you are not already sensitized.