IFRA Sheets Soap vs Other things

Soapmaking Forum

Help Support Soapmaking Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Carl

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2018
Messages
279
Reaction score
130
Location
Pennsylvania
I've been looking at a lot of the IFRA sheets lately for fragrance oils. I've noticed that the maximum safe usage level on some oils is actually higher for lotions than it is for soap.

For example, I'm looking at one now and Category 4 (which I believe is lotions) is 57.05%, but #9 for this oil is 10.68% (Soap).

Why would it be safer to put more in a product that I plan to leave on vs a product I plan to immediately rinse off?
 
Category 4 is for water- and/or alcohol-based products that are applied to unshaved skin and left on the skin.

Category 9 is for rinse-off cleansers and other bath products that contact shaved skin or sensitive skin (face, genitals). This category also includes non-cleanser products used in the genital area (feminine pads) as well as aerosols (air fresheners) that can be inhaled.

The way I see the difference, it's less about the rinse-off or leave-on aspect and more about whether the product is likely to contact sensitive (genital, facial) or irritated (shaved) skin or to be inhaled. In other words, Cat 9 products are ones that could have a direct entrance into the body through the skin or respiratory system.

I read recently that when a person showers, a surprising amount of stuff can be inhaled -- chemicals and microbes in the water, fragrance and other ingredients in the cleansing products, etc.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top