Summary: A non-regulated term used to indicate that a cosmetic product contains no fragrance ingredients recognized as allergens under current or proposed EU regulations.
What It Means
The EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 requires certain fragrance allergens to be disclosed on cosmetic labels when present above specific thresholds (0.001% in leave-on products, 0.01% in rinse-off). Originally limited to 26 ingredients, this list was significantly expanded in Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/1545, published in the Official Journal of the European Union (27.7.2023 L 188/1). The new regulation adds dozens of additional fragrance allergens identified as potential sensitizers, increasing transparency and safety for consumers with fragrance sensitivities.
How We Define It
On skincare classifier, a product is tagged as EU Allergen-Free if its INCI list does not contain any ingredient from the combined list of:
- The 26 legacy allergens from Annex III
- Newly adopted allergens as defined in Regulation (EU) 2023/1545
Important Notes
- EU Allergen-Free ≠ Fragrance-Free: The tag excludes regulated allergens but does not guarantee the absence of all perfuming agents.
- It applies strictly to fragrance allergens, not preservatives, irritants, or unrelated sensitizers.