Fo %

[Karen Ov]

I have a question about % in bath and body products. Why can you sometimes add more fo in lotions than wash off products? If the lotion is staying on your skin shouldn't it be lower than something you will wash off?. Thanks 

[TallTayl]

Great question. 😊

 

the short answer:

the usage rates for all essential oils and fragrance blends is based on the IFRA report for that particular item. Some fragrance molecules are more irritating than others in certain uses, and must be used at lower % in some products than others depending on the type of skin/membranes it is being applied to. 

 

Longer answer: 

understanding the IFRA reports clues us in to what might be the issue with some lower usage rate FO/EO and combos. notice how much each category is broken down (like shaved skin, eye membranes, feminine products…) each type of skin absorbs and responds differently to irritation. 
 

IFRA categories:

 

for example, here’s an IFRA for patchouli essential oil.  It is considered GRAS (generally regarded as safe).  You can bathe in it with no safety or health issues expected. It does not contain any of the highly sensitizing components such as coumarin, eugenol, etc).

 

on the other hand, here’s one for Clove Bud Essential Oil. The eugenol component in clove is highly sensitizing and must be measured with caution to prevent chemical burns to mucous membranes and sensitive tissues.

 

somewhere in between is this example of grapefruit essential oil.  Many Citrus oils are phototoxic. We can eat/drink the fruit all day long, but if applied to skin exposed to sunlight,  it can quickly cause sunburn.

 

 

 

 

when blending fragrances and/or essential oils, we need to be aware of the parts of the fragrance that are restricted, and calculate that into the blend.  

[Karen Ov]

On 9/30/2022 at 11:10 AM, TallTayl said:

Great question. 😊

 

the short answer:

the usage rates for all essential oils and fragrance blends is based on the IFRA report for that particular item. Some fragrance molecules are more irritating than others in certain uses, and must be used at lower % in some products than others depending on the type of skin/membranes it is being applied to. 

 

Longer answer: 

understanding the IFRA reports clues us in to what might be the issue with some lower usage rate FO/EO and combos. notice how much each category is broken down (like shaved skin, eye membranes, feminine products…) each type of skin absorbs and responds differently to irritation. 
 

IFRA categories:

 

for example, here’s an IFRA for patchouli essential oil.  It is considered GRAS (generally regarded as safe).  You can bathe in it with no safety or health issues expected. It does not contain any of the highly sensitizing components such as coumarin, eugenol, etc).

 

on the other hand, here’s one for Clove Bud Essential Oil. The eugenol component in clove is highly sensitizing and must be measured with caution to prevent chemical burns to mucous membranes and sensitive tissues.

 

somewhere in between is this example of grapefruit essential oil.  Many Citrus oils are phototoxic. We can eat/drink the fruit all day long, but if applied to skin exposed to sunlight,  it can quickly cause sunburn.

 

 

 

 

when blending fragrances and/or essential oils, we need to be aware of the parts of the fragrance that are restricted, and calculate that into the blend.  

Thanks.💐..  I knew there had to be a logical reason. I thought the fo i noticed it on first was a mistake lol, but then i noticed it on a lot of fo's. That was a fun fact on the citrus, i never knew that. 😁