IFRA proposes restrictions on use of citrus oils, part two

Cropwatch and the Natural Perfumers Guild have joined to charge The International Fragrance Association with cultural vandalism, claiming the proposed limits to citrus in perfumes will destroy perfumes.

The Natural Perfumers Guild (NPG) and Cropwatch decry the science and proposals of the International Fragrance Association (IFRA) as slanted and overly-restrictive regarding the amounts of furanocoumarins to be permitted in perfume and fragranced products. According to NPG spokesperson Anya McCoy, "We are very disappointed that IFRA have not vigorously defended the use of citrus oil ingredients against pressure from Brussels, specifically the European Union Cosmetics Commission (EUCC)."

"You can get more oil in your hands slicing up a lime or a grapefruit than IFRA wants to allow in perfume or cosmetics with its new proposals," added McCoy.

— Cropwatch and The Natural Perfumer's Guild respond to proposed restrictions on the use of citrus oils in perfumes. Read more at Press Release: Natural Perfumers Guild and Cropwatch Oppose Limits on Citrus Oil Usage in Perfumery at the Natural Perfumers Guild blog.

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  1. Anonymous says:

    I'm very glad they continue their fight against such bizarre restrictions!

  2. Anonymous says:

    And it is very good that this is on NST too !

  3. Anonymous says:

    I am very surprised by how little outcry there is about this issue — it strikes me as disastrous, even more so than the loss of oakmoss :-(

  4. Anonymous says:

    And why is the perfume industry helping in cutting their own throat? One would expect vigorous protest from people claiming to be bottling unicorn tears. There's no protest from the consumer because outside the group of devoted perfumistas such as we have here, most people don't know about this. And there's no labeling rule on the bottle like there is on food, which can educate the consumer. Is it because the perfume industry think we are mostly a bunch of dumb wanks? “Pshaw … citrus oil or synthesized fragrance, it's close enough, nobody will notice. We'll just get [a minor B-list celeb] to front it, and write a KILLER copy.”

  5. Anonymous says:

    It is quite seriously a mystery to me. I don't get it at all. Even if the flavor & fragrance companies would rather use cheaper synthetics, it doesn't explain why they'd like to have less choice in what materials they can use.

    And who has ever heard of serious injury caused by oakmoss, much less citrus, in perfume? Very surprised, truly, that there isn't more vigorous protest.

  6. Anonymous says:

    Robin, is there some way to protest, other than reading the materials posted? Are there petitions to sign or people at the EUCC to write letters to?

  7. Anonymous says:

    E, that is a question for Anya McCoy of the Natural Perfumers Guild – I really don't know. If you comment on the article linked to above, I'm sure she'll answer you.

  8. Anonymous says:

    Seems to me the perfume industry is scared of natural perfumes, don't you think? This is ridiculous. How come we're yet to see a ban on synthetic fixatives? The Material Safety Data Sheets of these ingredients are scary: long term damage to the nervous central system, just to name one.

    What's next, banning of white blossoms because of their poop smelling chemicals?

  9. Anonymous says:

    There have been synthetic aroma chemicals that have been banned as well, but they do seem particularly interested in wiping out the use of natural materials. It is very sad.

  10. Anonymous says:

    It does perplex me as to why the manufacturers are so afeared of labelling things with potential risks, so would willingly ban something instead.

    To me it's no different to the “this may contain small pieces beware choking hazard” labels on enumerate things in my house. It doesn't stop me buying them.

  11. Anonymous says:

    A great question, I don't understand it either. People routinely ignore the “this will kill you” warnings on cigarettes, so I hardly think “this contains oakmoss, a potential allergen” would frighten anybody away from Mitsouko.

  12. Anonymous says:

    I'm glad to hear SOMEONE is kicking up a protest about this, it's absurd. Gosh, all those oranges and lemons I've grated & peeled over the years – dangerous for sure!

    It definitely sounds like someone is trying to stamp out natural ingredients, or someone somewhere somehow stands to make big bucks off of this. I also don't understand why perfume manufacturers seem to all fall in line and comply. This is not a governing body with any legal authority is it? I would flip them the bird.

  13. Anonymous says:

    It really does seem like they have it out for naturals. As I understand it, IFRA has no legal authority, but in practice, the fragrance industry both funds IFRA and complies with their standards. Anya McCoy at Natural Perfumer's Guild, again, would be a better source for information about that too — I mostly complain but don't bother to figure out the system.

  14. Anonymous says:

    dear god. i'm sure i've inhaled my fair share of coumarins in my countless hours in the kitchen experimenting with various citrus fruits… i'm also pretty sure all unsuspecting children peeling and eating their oranges on the elementary school playground are slowly being poisoned! same goes for people eating clementines around christmas!

    how deliciously absurd…

    i would like to see them ban parabens in scented body products before they ban something as ridiculous as some bergamot oil in my favorite fragrance. absolutely ridiculous.

    most likely the pesticides used to grow those citrus fruits poison us more/are more likely to cause allergies when we peel and eat them at home than if they extracted/diluted the oils a thousand times over to create some topnote in a perfume…

    also i've read somewhere that oakmoss allergy is a very rare condition, and that you are much more likely to have allergies to something like peaches or shellfish… why not just put an allergy label on oakmoss perfumes like they do with peanut chocolate?

  15. Anonymous says:

    Problems with citrus have to be rare too — I read all the fragrance boards and have yet to hear of one single case. It's all ridiculous. And totally agree on the pesticides.

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