Can fragrance affect your skin care routine?
Who doesn’t like a product that smells nice? After all, skin care isn’t just about how it feels on your skin. Evoking your other senses such as scent comes into play when you are choosing skin care products. Scent can have an impact on how often we use a product and how much we enjoy it. Scents can be invigorating, calming and more. Scents even have the ability to evoke memories of our past. However as much as fragrance can be enjoyable, it can also have an adverse effect on our skin. Find out if you need to be careful with products formulated with fragrance below.
Can Fragrance Affect Skin?
Fragrances are used in a multitude of products from lotions and cleansers to scrubs and masks. Some products are formulated with fragrance for sensorial reasons and others for therapeutic purposes.
For some people however, fragrance can have a negative impact on how their skin looks and feels. “Fragrance can be an irritant leading to redness, itchy skin and sometimes hives,” says Garnier consulting dermatologist Dr. Diane Madfes. “Not all fragrances cause irritation to the same degree. Dry skin is definitely more susceptible to reactions. If you are concerned, test a product on a small portion of your arm daily for one week. If you have no reaction, then you can probably use it on your face.”
You may also have an allergy that is causing the irritation. Per the FDA “Some individuals may be allergic or sensitive to certain ingredients in cosmetics, food, or other products, even if those ingredients are safe for most people. Some components of fragrance formulas may have a potential to cause allergic reactions or sensitivities for some people.”
Fragrance-Free Products
Fortunately, there are many fragrance-free products on the market if your skin is sensitive, dry, or doesn’t mesh well with fragrance. We recommend Garnier SkinActive Clean+ Makeup Removing Lotion Cleanser is an effective, fragrance-free cleanser that lifts makeup, dirt and sweat off your face to cleanse your face thoroughly and without causing irritation. Follow this with a fragrance-free lotion such as Garnier SkinActive Moisture Rescue Actively Hydrating Daily Lotion Fragrance-Free SPF15 which is hydrating and non-comedogenic. It can strengthen, smooth and moisturize your skin so that it can look its best.
