No IFRA, No Buy?

[Michelle La]

There’s a website where I’ve been buying fragrance and essential oils from. On most items there’s a link to an IFRA certificate for the given product, but not on all. Am I right to swerve the ones that don’t have this document or is that just super picky and paranoid?

An aside: Spearmint is really 0.30% maximum usage in soap and that’s not a typo?!? That seems awfully low so I didn’t buy it just in case.

 

[justsomeguy]

There’s a website where I’ve been buying fragrance and essential oils from. On most items there’s a link to an IFRA certificate for the given product, but not on all. Am I right to swerve the ones that don’t have this document or is that just super picky and paranoid?

I would swerve to. If they provide it for some but not all.

An aside: Spearmint is really 0.30% maximum usage in soap and that’s not a typo?!? That seems awfully low so I didn’t buy it just in case.

Bay rum I bought recently has a similarly extremely low safe usage in soap

 

[katili]

There’s a website where I’ve been buying fragrance and essential oils from. On most items there’s a link to an IFRA certificate for the given product, but not on all. Am I right to swerve the ones that don’t have this document or is that just super picky and paranoid?

An aside: Spearmint is really 0.30% maximum usage in soap and that’s not a typo?!? That seems awfully low so I didn’t buy it just in case.

I don't buy any fragrances I can't see an IFRA and MSDS for. Maybe I am picky and paranoid but I look at every single one and decide if I want the fragrance or not based on those.

 

[Michelle La]

Bay rum I bought recently has a similarly extremely low safe usage in soap

Will you use it mixed with something else, or just hope for the best at the lower rate?

I don't buy any fragrances I can't see an IFRA and MSDS for. Maybe I am picky and paranoid but I look at every single one and decide if I want the fragrance or not based on those.

I can’t lie, I have no clue what the other documents mean when I look at them. It’s just words on a page at this point for me, so I rely solely on the IFRA.

 

[AliOop]

An aside: Spearmint is really 0.30% maximum usage in soap and that’s not a typo?!?

Correct. Tisserand & Young's EO book suggests a maximum dermal use of 1.7%, but that book was published prior to the latest IFRA update that lowered it to .30%.

 

[Michelle La]

Correct. Tisserand & Young's EO book suggests a maximum dermal use of 1.7%, but that book was published prior to the latest IFRA update that lowered it to .30%.

That’s me not buying spearmint then. Yikes.

 

[AliOop]

That’s me not buying spearmint then. Yikes.

Right? So sad, as it's a great scent for so many products.

 

[justsomeguy]

Will you use it mixed with something else, or just hope for the best at the lower rate?

Currently unknown. I'm still adding to my collection. But my initial thinking is with such a low usage rate it may have to be an anchor

 

[Tammyfarms]

@Michelle La, do you know about https://www.eocalc.com/? It’s a great resource for essential oil blends and usage rates. Just EOs and not FOs though. I make a blend called Rosemary Mint Twist that contains 0.3% spearmint along with Rosemary and Peppermint, it’s amazing. Using spearmint along with other EOs is worth it to me, even at the low usage rate.

 

[Michelle La]

@Michelle La, do you know about https://www.eocalc.com/? It’s a great resource for essential oil blends and usage rates. Just EOs and not FOs though. I make a blend called Rosemary Mint Twist that contains 0.3% spearmint along with Rosemary and Peppermint, it’s amazing. Using spearmint along with other EOs is worth it to me, even at the low usage rate.

I reckon that’ll be a handy site for me in the future, thank you. I’m still a little bit too excited to trust myself with annything below 3%, and busy learning what I like together, and I don’t trust myself not to inadvertently throw it in at unacceptable levels. One day maybe

 

[Tammyfarms]

I reckon that’ll be a handy site for me in the future, thank you. I’m still a little bit too excited to trust myself with annything below 3%, and busy learning what I like together, and I don’t trust myself not to inadvertently throw it in at unacceptable levels. One day maybe

I have been at this a while but still consider myself a beginner. When testing new combinations, I use toothpicks dipped in the EO and sealed in a jar. It’s not exact but will help give you an idea of what a combination will smell like. As an example, if a blend is 50% of EO A, 25% each of EO B and C, I would use 2 toothpicks dipped to halfway of EO A and 1 each of B and C. Hope that makes sense.

 

[Michelle La]

I have been at this a while but still consider myself a beginner. When testing new combinations, I use toothpicks dipped in the EO and sealed in a jar. It’s not exact but will help give you an idea of what a combination will smell like. As an example, if a blend is 50% of EO A, 25% each of EO B and C, I would use 2 toothpicks dipped to halfway of EO A and 1 each of B and C. Hope that makes sense.

You’re a genius, that’s what you are. Thank you! I just took delivery of some essential oils and all my willpower is now being used not to cancel on the friend I’m meeting in 15 minutes so I can stay home and stick toothpicks in jars.

I’ll leave this one for when I get home

 

[A-Polly]

Regarding the availability of IFRA documentation for fragrance oils, the only site I've purchased from that didn't post all the IFRAs on their web page is Paris Fragrances ( https://www.parisfragrancesusa.com/ ). They are a small company and their IFRA page and/or links don't always work. However, any time I've needed a certificate I've emailed to ask and they've sent it along promptly (whether I've purchased anything or not). I imagine there are other small companies that may not have the most up-to-date and functional web pages, but don't think I'd buy a fragrance oil if the info was unavailable even when requested.

But for essential oils, like most everyone, I rely on eocalc and Tisserand & Young. The frequent changes are hard to keep up with, though, and I'm so grateful that eocalc exists!

 

[Tammyfarms]

You’re a genius, that’s what you are. Thank you! I just took delivery of some essential oils and all my willpower is now being used not to cancel on the friend I’m meeting in 15 minutes so I can stay home and stick toothpicks in jars.

Genus, definitely not, I’m sure I got the idea from someone on here. Enabler??? Definitely!

Hope you had a great visit with your friend.

I’ll leave this one for when I get home

Give it at least 24 hours or more to make a decision.

 

[paradisi]

That’s me not buying spearmint then. Yikes.

Realize Tisserand levels are for topical application (dermal means applied to the skin, leave on). His focus is on massage therapy.

It will be more accurate to get the manufacturer's IFRA documents as dermal is not soap (rinse off).

 

[Relle]

I have been at this a while but still consider myself a beginner. When testing new combinations, I use toothpicks dipped in the EO and sealed in a jar. It’s not exact but will help give you an idea of what a combination will smell like. As an example, if a blend is 50% of EO A, 25% each of EO B and C, I would use 2 toothpicks dipped to halfway of EO A and 1 each of B and C. Hope that makes sense.

I do the same thing but use cotton buds and put them in a freezer bag, then give them a spin.

 

[Michelle La]

However, any time I've needed a certificate I've emailed to ask and they've sent it along promptly (whether I've purchased anything or not).

That’s a thought. Will try emailing in future as there’s always a chance they just forgot to upload a particular one.