Understanding the IFRA Standards

The IFRA Standards sets rules for the use a range of fragrance materials based on scientific assessment. These rules include:

Prohibition: a ban on the use of a material

Restriction: rules on the maximum quantity to be used and/​or the products in which certain materials can be use

Specification: other conditions on the type of material (such as purity criteria).

In all cases the final responsibility for the safe use of any fragrance material put on the market rests with the company supplying the material.

The IFRA Standards set the maximum dose of a fragrance ingredient in finished consumer goods. They are primarily a tool for use by IFRA members in their daily work.

The typical user is a perfumer or someone else with a technical, regulatory or scientific background – and so the format and language of the Standards are written with this audience in mind.

However, we believe that it is an important part of our self-regulatory role to be transparent about the Standards we apply – which is why all of the Standards are available on this website.

The independent Expert Panel for Fragrance Safety oversees the safety assessment process to ensure that it is scientifically sound.

The Expert Panel is comprised of renowned independent experts from various scientific fields, including dermatology, toxicology, pathology and environmental science.

The Expert Panel evaluates data on a fragrance material and checks whether that data supports current use levels.

Safety is the overriding consideration: the Expert Panel seeks to ensure that fragrance materials submitted for review are subject to appropriate safety assessments.

Fragrance ingredient safety assessments are reports written by RIFM scientists, including chemists and toxicologists. Each fragrance ingredient subject to a safety assessment is evaluated by RIFM scientists and tested for human health and environmental safety.

The safety assessments are published in a peer-reviewed journal and are available for no charge on the Fragrance Material Safety Resource website.

In cases where the safety assessment does not support current use, the Expert Panel will conclude that risk management is necessary, and IFRA issues a Standard based on this risk management conclusion either restricting, banning or setting specifications for a material so that it can be used safely.

Importantly, the final decision on the content of the safety assessment upon which a Standard is based, as well as the determination whether the Standard addresses the risk management set forth in the safety assessment, lie solely in the hands of the Expert Panel, not IFRA or RIFM – adding an additional layer of independence.

The IFRA Standards-setting process principally involves IFRA, the Research Institute for Fragrance Materials (RIFM) and the independent Expert Panel on Fragrance Safety.

We also, through a consultation phase, involve our Members and stakeholders in the process.

Here’s how it works:

Step 1: IFRA sends information to RIFM

IFRA sends RIFM information about a fragrance material, including exposure situation (usage concentration, variety of use, volume of use); chemical composition; olfactory profile; olfactory potential.

Step 2: RIFM prepares a dossier

RIFM prepares a comprehensive dossier on the material, including all available safety data. If necessary, RIFM initiates and organizes safety studies to fill gaps in knowledge about the material.

Step 3: Expert Panel evaluates

The independent Expert Panel evaluates the data. It checks whether the data supports current use levels in such a way that there is no risk to consumers. If the safety assessment does not support current use, the Panel instructs IFRA to issue a Standard.

Step 4: IFRA prepares a Standard

IFRA prepares a Standard in line with its Standard-setting process.

Step 5: Consultation phase

The draft Standard is sent to IFRA’s members and stakeholders for consultation. The consultation period allows members and stakeholders to provide IFRA with additional data or scientific studies that may need to be considered in setting the final Standard.

Step 6: Publication and implementation

If no additional information is received during the consultation phase, the final Standard is published as part of an ​‘Amendment to the IFRA Code of Practice’. Following publication, members have a specified period to change internal systems and apply the Standard.

The Certificate of Conformity to the IFRA Standards is a document only prepared by companies that formulate fragrance mixtures. It is issued within the context of the trust relationship between a fragrance supplier andhttps://acc.ifrafragrance.org/initiatives-positions/safe-use-fragrance-science/ifra-standards/ifra-standards-documentation#19151-ifra+standards+-+51^st+amendment%3A+essential+guidance their customer.

This certificate applies exclusively to fragrance mixtures intended for incorporation into finished consumer products. By issuing the certificate, the fragrance supplier confirms that the product complies with the with the requirements set by the IFRA Standards for a specified intended use.

It is important to clarify that IFRA itself does not issue certificates, nor does it authorize any third-party organization to certify on its behalf. . Every supplier signs responsible for establishing and providing an IFRA certificate of conformity.

Additionally, the Certificate of Conformity attests to compliance with the IFRA Standards but does not replace a safety assessment.

IFRA Certificates are generally not issued for raw materials. In cases where an IFRA Standard exists for a specific raw material—such as a citrus essential oil—an official IFRA certificate cannot be issued. However, suppliers may still communicate the raw material’s conformity with the corresponding IFRA Standard to their clients.

Please note that essential oils may contain constituents subject to IFRA restrictions, as outlined in the latest IFRA ​‘Annex I on contributions from other sources’.

An informative list of professional service providers—compiled using the most reliable information available — is accessible on the IFRA Standards webpage. These service providers can assist companies that are unable to issue IFRA Certificates of Conformity internally. The third-party certificates they provide serve to confirm that fragrance mixtures comply with the IFRA Standards.

Please note that while the IFRA Standards are voluntary, they do not exempt companies from adhering to applicable national or local regulations.

For more comprehensive guidance, please refer to the IFRA-RIFM Guidance for the Use of the IFRA Standards . A template for Certificate of Conformity to the IFRA Standards is available for downloading here.

IFRA does not create the certificates and there is no certifying company providing certificates on behalf of IFRA.

It is important to note that the Certificate of Conformity declares compliance with the requirements expressed in the IFRA Standards but does not replace a safety assessment.

IFRA Certificates of Conformity to the IRA Standards are generally not issued for raw materials. In cases where an IFRA Standard exists for a specific raw material — such as a citrus essential oil — an official IFRA certificate cannot be issued. However, suppliers may still communicate the raw material’s conformity with the requirements of the corresponding IFRA Standard to their clients.

Please note that essential oils may contain constituents subject to IFRA restrictions, as outlined in the latest IFRA ​‘Annex I on contributions from other sources’.

For more comprehensive guidance, please refer to the IFRA-RIFM Guidance for the Use of the IFRA Standards.

Given their intended audience, some of the information presented can seem confusing or hard-to-understand for non-experts. We believe it is important to keep the information brief and relevant for a technical audience – but also to give a wider audience the chance to understand what information is in a Standard, and why.

Here is a short explainer of the key information contained in a typical Standard:

Basic information: the chemical name of the fragrance material, any synonyms, an illustration of the molecular structure, and the CAS, or Chemical Abstracts Service, number – a unique identifier applied to different chemical structures.

It is important to note that ​‘chemicals’ do not only mean laboratory creations: they include fragrance materials from the natural world too.

History: a summary of IFRA’s assessments of the fragrance material, including when the material is due for further review based on the latest scientific understanding.

Recommendation: the type of Standard being applied – a Prohibition, Restriction or Specification.

Restriction limits in the finished product: maximum permitted concentration levels of the substance in different product types. The product types are set out in the IFRA Standards guidance documents.

Intrinsic property driving risk management: why we are taking action and issuing a Standard – this is the potential health effect that we are taking action to avoid through a Prohibition, Restriction or Specification.

Nearly 500 years ago, Swiss physician and chemist Paracelsus expressed the basic principle of toxicology: ​“All things are poison and nothing is without poison; only the dose makes a thing not a poison.”

That is why we sometimes apply a Prohibition (when evidence shows that it would be difficult to support safe use at any relevant level) and sometimes a Restriction or Specification (when evidence shows that a material is safe to use, but within limits).

RIFM safety assessment: additional information provided by the Research Institute for Fragrance Materials, reporting on its studies and findings.

Expert Panel for Fragrance Safety Rationale / conclusion: additional explanations by the independent Fragrance Safety Panel.

IFRA does not provide tutorials, but you can find useful information on the following IFRA public information

• Series of short videos on the IFRA Standards available on the IFRA YouTube channel: https://​www​.youtube​.com/​p​l​a​y​l​i​s​t​?​l​i​s​t​=​P​L​2​S​m​U​J​h​0​r​v​r​4​2​U​4​E​t​y​h​X​_​K​k​d​T​e​e​M​D3xSK.
• Comprehensive information on the IFRA Standards, categories, and the IFRA certificate of conformity to the IFRA Standard, accessible on the IFRA-RIFM Guidance for the Use of the IFRA Standards
• All current IFRA Standards available on the online IFRA Standards library.
• Further information on the IFRA Standards is available on the online IFRA Standards documentation webpage.

You can also contact the IFRA National Association in your country, if there is one, for further local assistance.

Once a new IFRA Standard or an Amendment to the Standards is adopted, a deadline is set for entry into force for new fragrance creations (approximately 12 months from adoption of the Standard) and existing creations (approximately 24 months from adoption of the Standard – to allow time for reformulation).

The precise timelines for each Amendment to the Standards is set out in the Notification Letter and any Guidance accompanying the Amendment.

As described in the notification letter of the latest Amendment to the IFRA Standards, the current implementation timelines, which apply to the producers of fragrance mixtures, are as follows:

• For IFRA Standards prohibiting the use of ingredients:

  Date for Standards entering into force for new creations: 2 months after the date of the Amendment notification.

  Date for Standards entering into force for existing creations: 13 months after the date of the Amendment notification.

• For IFRA Standards restricting or setting specifications for the use of ingredients:

  Date for Standards entering into force for new creations: 9 months after the date of the Amendment notification.

  Date for Standards entering into force for existing creations: 28 months after the date of the Amendment notification.

After these dates, the fragrance houses being IFRA members are no longer allowed to ship non-compliant fragrance mixtures to their customers.

Comprehensive information on the latest Amendment to the IFRA Standards is publicly available on this website in the following formats:

• Latest IFRA Amendment – IFRA Standards overview (Excel document)
• The complete IFRA Standards:
• Index of IFRA Standards – 51^st Amendment:
• The IFRA Standard online library:
• IFRA 51^st Amendment – Annex on contributions from other sources (Excel document) to be download it at

Additional information on the IFRA Standards and the 51^st Amendment can be found on the ​‘IFRA Standards Documentation’ webpage:n

The normal cycle of the notification of the Amendments of the IFRA Standards is normally every 3 years, unless there is any important change, like the case of the 50^th Amendment, also known as an ​‘off-cycle’ amendment.

The IFRA Standards is the IFRA’s voluntary product stewardship program for the fragrance industry.

An overview of the IFRA Standards which are part of the latest IFRA Amendment can be found in an EXcel format document entitled ​‘Under the document titled ​‘IFRA 51^st Amendment – IFRA Standards overview’ (the amendment number changes with each new Amendment notification)/

IFRA does not offer any calculator to calculate the amount of essential oil to be used in the different categories has developed?. Instead, you can find a non-exhaustive list of external providers available on the IFRA website which could help you with the calculation.

Please note that for Natural Complex Substances (NCS) like essential oils it is important the required information exchange between supplier and user on the presence of IFRA-restricted materials in the NCS for the calculation of the maximum use of the NCS in the end consumer. Indicative information is provided in IFRA Annex on contributions from other sources.

Regarding the CAS numbers and the IFRA Standards library, IFRA puts a lot of efforts in describing what is in scope of its Standards. Still, it might be challenging to be completely inclusive by listing all available CAS numbers. This is why on many Standards you will find the wording ​‘The scope of this Standard includes but is not limited to the CAS number(s) indicated above; any other CAS number(s) used to identify this fragrance ingredient should be considered in scope as well.’ This aims to address the case of a material with a restriction, specification, or prohibition, for which more than one CAS numbers exists. This can be the case when a generic CAS and more specific CAS are used to describe a material which may be based on history, preference, or because different isomers are possible e.g. due to presence of chiral centres and resultant stereo isomers. In the case of restrictions and specifications, in all cases, the IFRA Standard limits apply to the total of all relevant CAS numbers.

Besides, there is only standards set for materials where the current exposure is not safe and risk management is needed. There are more materials that have been assessed by RIFM ​‘Research Institute for Fragrance Material’. The RIFM safety assessment are publicly available at https://​fragrancematerialsafetyresource​.elsevier​.com/.

IFRA does not provide public educational training on the IFRA Standards, but it offers a wide range of public information resources on the Standards:

• The IFRA-RIFM Guidance for the use of the IFRA Standards, which offers a very comprehensive information on the IFRA Standards.
• The Annex on contributions from other sources to the IFRA Standards (also available here), which provides a non-exhaustive indicative list of typical natural presence of fragrance ingredients restricted by the IFRA Standards. Each Natural Complex Substance (NCS) listed in that Annex, ‑like an essential oil‑, is linked to a constituent name (IFRA Standard). In the corresponding IFRA Standard, it is indicated the maximum acceptable concentration in the finished product for the intended use.
• A comprehensive overview file with all IFRA Standards and limits currently available.
• Short explanatory videos on the Standards available on IFRA YouTube channel.

Companies have to comply with the national/​local regulations impacting fragrance ingredients and mixtures in place in the countries they operate. This compliance is also one of the key requirements of the IFRA Code of Conduct.

The IFRA Code of Practice – of which the IFRA Standards is a major part – is the global fragrance industry’s commitment to promoting the safe use of fragrance for everyone’s enjoyment.

IFRA has established the IFRA Standards, a self-regulating voluntary system of the industry, based on risk assessments carried out by an independent Expert Panel for Fragrance Safety. The IFRA Standards ban, limit or set criteria for the use of certain ingredients used in final consumer products regardless of whether the substances are added directly or indirectly to the fragrance mixture. It is compulsory to comply with the IFRA Code of Practice and Standards for the IFRA members, covers around 80 per cent of the global fragrance industry by production volume.

Therefore, the IFRA Standards sets the limits/​bans of ingredients to be used in a safe way.

More information can be found in the latest Guidance for the Use of the IFRA Standards , and all the IFRA Standards on the online IFRA Standards library.

It is important to note that the IFRA Standards are voluntary and do not dismiss companies from complying with the national/​local regulations in place.

The IFRA Certificate of Conformity to the IFRA Standards is a document established only by the fragrance mixture manufacturer (not the raw material suppliers) and based on a trusting relationship between the fragrance supplier and its customer.

When there is an IFRA Standard on a raw material (e.g., citrus essential oil), the supplier should not issue an IFRA certificate as such. Instead, suppliers should communicate to their clients the conformity of the raw material with the corresponding IFRA Standard in a different format.

It is relevant to note that there might be important information on Natural Complex Substances (NCS) that need to be exchanged between supplier and user about the presence of IFRA-restricted materials in the NCS, as it is relevant for the calculation of the maximum use of the NCS. Indicated information is provided in the IFRA Annex on contributions from other sources (see section 1.4 of the IFRA-RIFM guidance for the Use of the IFRA Standards).

The IFRA Certificate of Conformity to the IFRA Standards, this is a document established only by the fragrance mixture manufacturer (not by a raw material suppliers) and based on a trusting relationship between the fragrance supplier and its customer. By using a Certificate, a fragrance supplier assures its customer that the product they supply is in compliance with the requirements set by the IFRA Standards for an intended use.

As stated in the IFRA Code of Practice, it is the responsibility of each IFRA member to ensure that the fragrance mixtures or ingredients they supply comply with applicable laws and are safe for their intended uses.

It is important to nota that IFRA does not elaborate the Certificates of Conformity and there is no certifying company providing Certificates of Conformity on behalf of IFRA. Every supplier of fragrance mixtures is responsible for establishing and providing an IFRA Certificate of Conformity (a template is available on the IFRA website).

The Certificate of Conformity can be issued by anybody who is familiar with the Code of Practice and the associated Standards. It can therefore also be used by non-members (not mandatory) to declare that they comply with the IFRA Standards.

The Certificate of Conformity declares compliance with the requirements expressed in the IFRA Standards, but it does not replace a safety assessment and does not dismiss from complying with the national/​regional/​local regulations in place.

IFRA has published an informative list of third-party professional service companies that can assist members and others who require an external service provider to develop a Certificate of Conformity to the IFRA Standards. This list includes companies that can attest the conformity of fragrance mixtures with IFRA Standards.

More comprehensive guidance is available in the IFRA-RIFM guidance for the use of the IFRA Standards .

No, IFRA does not elaborate the Certificates of Conformity and there is no certifying company providing Certificates of Conformity on behalf of IFRA.

Every supplier of fragrance mixtures is responsible for establishing and providing an IFRA Certificate of Conformity to his clients (a template is available on the IFRA website).

If you want to find the IFRA Standards category for a specific end-consumer product/​application, please follow the next steps:

1. check the information on the IFRA categories IFRA-RIFM Guidance for the Use of the IFRA Standards.
2. if you cannot find the category of your end-consumer product in the above mentioned guidance, look in the guidance for a one similar product/​application with regard to exposure and habit and practice.
3. if you still cannot find the suitable category,you can address to us, ideally by filling as much information as possible in the IFRA-RIFM Categorization form you can find in this website. Please note that IFRA-RIFM could share our opinion based on the information provided but the final decision and responsibility lies with the producer.

In the case of establishing the IFRA Standard categorization of dual or multiple uses products, It is necessary to always take the following approach:

1. compare the limits in both categories the product shall be used in, for all ingredients within the fragrance, and
2. identify the lowest limit for all ingredients in both categories to drive the overall MAC for the dual use product.

The same principle and rules apply for products with more than 2 intended uses (in different product categories). There is an example for dual use (categorization of multiple uses products) in the IFRA-RIFM Guidance for the Use of the IFRA Standards.

IFRA does not provide support to any company software. There is publicly available an ​‘IFRA 51^st Amendment – IFRA Standards overview’ Excel document on IFRA website where you can access the data.

There are third party professional service companies which offer their software service related to the IFRA Standards, but there are completely independent from IFRA’s activities.

The IFRA Standards are developed for the use of fragrance ingredients in fragrance mixtures used in finished consumer products. They are not designed, but can inform on the single use of a fragrance ingredients.

More information on the IFRA Standards can be found in the latest ​‘IFRA-RIFM Guidance for the Use of the IFRA Standards and the online IFRA Standards Library.

In all cases, the final decision and responsibility always lies with the end consumer product manufacturer.

The IFRA Standards and related documents are subject to regular changes as new information relevant to the safety of fragrance ingredients becomes available. All these changes are part of an IFRA Amendment, which is designed according to an inclusive procedure and is subject to a broad consultation of all relevant stakeholders before its Notification.

The compliance timelines that will be applied to the Standards in the latest Amendment are detailed in the respective Notification Letter.

The timelines provided in the Standards refer to mixtures of fragrance ingredients (formulas) and not to finished consumer product(s). The date for compliance with the IFRA Amendments corresponds to the date of placement of fragrance mixtures on the market, meaning for them to leave a fragrance house. From a documentation point of view this should be considered to be the earliest of the following dates: the date of dispatch or the date of invoice.

There might be circumstances where scientific findings do not allow the completion of a RIFM SA and the Panel will declare that no safe use can be determined for a given fragrance ingredient. In such a case, a summary of the relevant toxicological data is provided by the Panel to IFRA and the RMTF to conclude on the risk management measures required and their timing.
In case the resulting Standard cannot be integrated timely in a regularly scheduled ​‘Normal cycle’ Amendment, IFRA has the option of taking immediate risk management measures by issuing a so-called ​‘off-cycle’ Amendment.

You can find comprehensive information about the IFRA Standards and the Amendments in the latest ​‘IFRA-RIFM Guidance for the IFRA Standards.’

The RIFM paper ​”Criteria for the Research Institute for Fragrance Materials, Inc. (RIFM) Safety Evaluation Process for Fragrance Ingredients” offers all end-points considered on the safety assessments conducted by RIFM, which are the initial basis for the IFRA Standards. In case a respiratory sensitizer would be identified from the risk management consideration at IFRA, it would actually be banned.

It is important to note that the IFRA Standards are a voluntary industry initiative and companies must still comply with national/​local regulations in place.

Apart of the EU regulation in place on ​‘fragrance allergens’ labelling regulation (Commission Regulation (EU) 2023⁄1545 of 26 July
2023 amending Regulation (EC) No ¹²²³⁄₂₀₀₉ of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards labelling of fragrance allergens in cosmetic products), the IFRA categories for dermal sensitization and systemic toxicity endpoints were revised and harmonized are part of the 49^th Amendment based on QRA2.

The new Standards for dermal sensitization as of the 49^th Amendment are based on this new assessment methodology, known as Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA2), which has been developed through the International Dialogue on the Evaluation of Allergens (IDEA).

IDEA project a multi-stakeholder process involving dermatologists, academics, the industry and other stakeholders. The new Standards look at aggregate exposure of fragrance ingredients via different consumer products, using a database of real-life product use and habits that feeds into a statistical model, helping us to understand how people use fragrance products in everyday life and to set rules that ensure they can continue to use them safely.

For more details on the new assessment methodology, you can consult the QRA2 report (http://​www​.ideaproject​.info/​u​p​l​o​a​d​s​/​M​o​d​u​l​e​s​/​D​o​c​u​m​e​n​t​s​/​q​r​a​2​-​d​o​s​s​i​e​r​-​final – september2016.pdf).

The latest information on the IFRA categories and IFRA Standards is available in the IFRA-RIFM Guidance for the Use of the IFRA Standards.

All isomers in the IFRA Standard are covered in its totality. If individual isomers would be treated separately, then they would have isomer specific Standards.

As explained in the latest IFRA-RIFM Guidance for the Use of the IFRA Standards, the definitions of ​‘new creations’ and ​‘existing creations’ for the Amendment timeline compliances are:

“New creations” are defined as any fragrance mixture for which the brief1 has been issued after the completion of the information exchange across the supply chain period (i.e., update of IT systems,
bilateral information exchange between fragrance houses and information exchange between fragrance houses and customers as a total of 7 months ). In practice, this means that briefs received after the Notification can only be verified for compliance with the requirements of the new Amendment once companies are fully operational.

“Existing creations” are those fragrance mixtures that have already been placed on the market in consumer product(s) or are already in the development phase at the time the completion of information exchange comes to its end. This includes:

• fragrance mixtures for which a brief has been received prior to the date of the Notification of the Amendment;
• fragrance mixtures for which the brief has been received during the period of information exchange across the supply chain;
• fragrance mixtures that are already in development by the fragrance manufacturer or even in the hands of the consumer product manufacturer.

The allergen declaration relates to the EU Cosmetic Regulation (EU) ²⁰²³⁄₁₅₄₅ of 26 July 2023, not to the IFRA Standards (do not confuse that allergen declaration with the IFRA Certificate of Conformity to the IFRA Standards).

You can find more practical information related to the EU allergen declaration in the Cosmetics Europe’s guidance on the ​‘fragrance allergens’ requirements.

IFRA Standards that impose a quantitative limit on the use of fragrance materials are expressed as an upper concentration of fragrance material in the finished consumer product, not the fragrance mixture. For example, the limit is for the complete product in the bottle, including everything in.

The IFRA Standards are not designed, but can inform on the single use of a fragrance ingredients.

More information on the IFRA Standards can be found in the latest​‘IFRA-RIFM Guidance for the Use of the IFRA Standards and the online IFRA Standards Library.

The steps to find the upper concentration would be:

1. Check in the ​‘IFRA-RIFM Guidance for the Use of the IFRA Standards’ the corresponding IFRA Standard category for the intended end-use application.
2. In the case of a natural complex substances (e.g: essential oils), check the IFRA Standard constituent name linked to that NCS on ​‘IFRA Amendment – Annex on contributions from other sources’.
3. Search the related IFRA Standard on the online IFRA Standards Library.
4. You will find the upper concentration (maximum acceptable concentration) in the finished product per IFRA Standards category in the corresponding IFRA Standard.

In all cases, the final decision and responsibility always lies with the end consumer product manufacturer.

We cannot advice you on the category – we can only share with you our perspective by drawing a conclusion based on the information provided and the IFRA-RIFM Guidance for the Use of the IFRA Standards . Please always consult this document first, as it contains a lot of useful information.

If the beard care product is for leave-on application, it seems that IFRA category 5B would be a suitable option.

It is important to note that this IFRA opinion based on the information provided but the final decision and responsibility always lies with the producer.

Should you refer to another bear care related application, you might also want to consider to try to fill in an RIFM-IFRA form that helps the expert group to categorize the product (link also indicated in the guidance).

We cannot advice you on the category – we can only share with you our perspective by drawing a conclusion based on the information provided and the IFRA-RIFM Guidance for the Use of the IFRA Standards . Please always consult this document first, as it contains a lot of useful information.

It seems that IFRA category 9 would be a suitable option for bath bombs (similar to bath salt).

It is important to note that this IFRA opinion based on the information provided but the final decision and responsibility always lies with the producer.

Should you refer to another bear care related application, you might also want to consider to try to fill in an RIFM-IFRA form that helps the expert group to categorize the product (link also indicated in the guidance).

Dental floss is not in the scope of the RIFM safety Assessment and therefore not in the IFRA Standards scope either.
Please note that you may need to comply with the flavour regulation in place. The European Flavor Association-EFFA (info@​effa.​eu) may help you on that, if needed.

We cannot advice you on the category – we can only share with you our perspective by drawing a conclusion based on the information provided and the IFRA-RIFM Guidance for the Use of the IFRA Standards . Please always consult this document first, as it contains a lot of useful information.

It seems that IFRA category 12 would be a suitable option for for a pillow spray.

It is important to note that this IFRA opinion based on the information provided but the final decision and responsibility always lies with the producer.

Should you refer to another bear care related application, you might also want to consider to try to fill in an RIFM-IFRA form that helps the expert group to categorize the product (link also indicated in the guidance).

You can find comprehensive information about the IFRA categories and tables of categories per product application in the ​‘IFRA-RIFM guidance for the Use of the IFRA Standards’.

Additionally, IFRA also offers a free online IFRA Standards Library where all the current IFRA Standards can be found and downloaded.

If the benzyl alcohol is used as a preservative in a cosmetic product and the regulation permits higher concentration uses that those recommended in the IFRA Standard, then the regulation can be followed.

Please note that concentration of the IFRA Standard of Benzyl alcohol are derived for use as fragrance ingredient.

IFRA does not issue Certificates of Conformity for the use of the IFRA Standards or any other form of certification, and no certifying company is authorized to provide Certificates of Conformity on behalf of IFRA. Therefore, it is unauthorized to make any statements regarding IFRA certification that could be misleading. Furthermore, the IFRA Bylaws and our branding guidelines clearly state that ​“no company may use the IFRA logo without prior written authorization”.

In addition, the IFRA Bylaws and IFRA brand guidelines prohibit the use of the logo in any way that implies IFRA certifies individual products, raw materials, or formulations. IFRA does not certify products or grant licenses for promotional use of its name or logo. Any such implication is misleading to consumers and the marketplace”.

Fragrance manufacturers are required to comply with legally binding regulations in force within the countries where they operate and market their products.

The IFRA Standards is a voluntary risk management system for the safe use of fragrance ingredients but mandatory for IFRA members, as part of the IFRA Code of Practice.

In some instances, IFRA Standards may differ from legal regulatory risk management measures (i.e. bans or restrictions) .This is the case for Butylphenyl Methylpropional (BMHCA,CAS n° 80−54−6), also known commercially as Lilial, which has been banned in cosmetic products (both existing and new) in the European Union as of March 2022.

The use of BMHCA remains permitted in markets outside the EU (subject to local regulations, if any) but IFRA members must comply with the concerned Standard.

The Research Institute for Fragrance Materials (RIFM) has conducted a comprehensive aggregate exposure risk assessment. This assessment supports the continued safe use of p‑BMHCA in both cosmetic and non-cosmetic applications at the concentrations currently in use