IFRA 51st Amendment — Restricted & Prohibited Ingredients

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The IFRA 51st Amendment (published January 2023) is the current edition of the International Fragrance Association's safety standards. It covers two types of restrictions:

171Category-restricted — have specific maximum usage rates per product category. The most restricted categories (leave-on skin, oral care) often have limits under 1%, while rinse-off and non-skin-contact categories may allow higher amounts.

~90Fully prohibited (all uses) — banned from all product categories at any concentration. This includes known carcinogens (Safrole, Benzene), neurotoxins (AETT), strong sensitizers (Benzyl cyanide, 7-Methoxycoumarin), and several nitro musks. If your essential oil contains one of these components, the entire blend cannot be used in any IFRA-compliant product.

PROHIB. = banned (0% limit or fully prohibited). Orange = very low limit (<0.01%). — = no specific restriction in this category. —* = EU allergen with declaration requirement only, no IFRA usage limit.

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* Limonene and Linalool have EU Cosmetics Regulation declaration requirements but no IFRA maximum usage rate. They are not prohibited by IFRA.

IFRA Category Guide

1Lip products & toys

2Deodorants & body sprays

3Eye & face makeup

4Perfume & fine fragrance

5ABody creams (leave-on)

5BFace creams & beard oils

5CHand creams (leave-on)

5DBaby products

6Oral care (toothpaste, mouthwash)

7AHair — rinse-off treatments

7BHair — leave-on treatments

8Intimate & baby wipes

9Rinse-off soap & shampoo

10AHousehold cleaning & reed diffusers

10BAir freshener sprays

11ADiapers & intimate wipes

11BScented clothing

12Candles, incense, air fresheners

Important: IFRA standards are voluntary industry guidelines, not government law. However, many retailers, insurers, and certification bodies require compliance. Usage limits apply to the finished product, not to the undiluted component. Use IFRA Math to calculate the maximum fragrance percentage for your full blend. Data sourced from IFRA 51st Amendment (January 2023).

Calculate limits for your full blend

IFRA Math accounts for every component in your blend — including fully-prohibited materials — and shows the most restrictive limit across all 18 categories simultaneously.

Open IFRA Math →