Fragrance

What it is

Fragrance, listed as parfum or perfume, is a catch-all term for the scent compounds added to a product. A single fragrance listing can represent dozens of individual ingredients that do not have to be disclosed separately.

Function

Fragrance functions solely to give a product a scent. It serves no skincare purpose during healing.

Properties

Fragrance is one of the leading causes of contact reactions and allergic sensitisation in skincare. Note that essential oils are also a form of fragrance and can be sensitising, so 'natural' scent is not automatically safer.

In tattoo aftercare

Fragrance is best avoided on a healing tattoo, which is essentially an open wound. Aftercare products aimed at healing are commonly formulated fragrance-free for this reason.

Considerations

Choose fragrance-free aftercare for healing skin. Read the ingredient list rather than the front of the pack, since 'unscented' products can still contain masking fragrance, and check for essential oils too.

This is general, factual information about a cosmetic ingredient, not medical advice or a product recommendation. If your skin reacts to anything during healing, stop using it and speak to your artist or a GP.