Influence of Cosmetic Type and Distribution Channel on the Presence of Regulated Fragrance Allergens: Study of 2044 Commercial Products

Contact dermatitis linked to cosmetic products is a very common reason for visits to the dermatologist, and in more than half the cases, it is due to an allergic reaction. Fragrances are most often the culprit. The aim of the study was to describe the common fragrance allergens in different categories of cosmetic products available on the European market. We wanted to assess the influence of cosmetic type and distribution channel on the presence of fragrance allergens. There are the allergens whose concentration exceeds 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products. A total of 2044 commercial hygiene, care, and makeup cosmetic products were analyzed to specifically study regulated fragrance allergens. The influence that the product category and its distribution channel (retail stores and specialized stores such as beauty institutes or hairdressers and pharmacy) have on the prevalence of these allergens was evaluated. The Kruskal-Wallis test has been used for statistical data analysis. There is a wide range of fragrance allergens, the most common being limonene (found in about 30% of products tested), linalool (just over a quarter of the products tested), and benzyl alcohol (approximately 16% of the products tested). The average number of allergens found and their nature varies depending on the type of product in question (maximum number for shampoos and oral care with about 70 allergens and minimum number for nail polish and makeup for eyes with fewer than 10 allergens). In the area of hygiene, deodorants and oral hygiene products are particularly noteworthy, the former for their significantly high number of allergens and the latter for their low number. There is also a significant difference between the number of allergens found in eye makeup and foundations. Our results indicate that the number of regulated fragrance allergens is particularly influenced by the type of products.