I answered a couple of questions for a newspaper article the other day, in detail and with having some thinking done, on IFRA, and how IFRA affects perfumers and perfumery.
I remembered this article in press (not published yet, I think), when I read the comments yesterday. And I thought a lot about it while cycling, thus we end up with another hard to digest post, but someone needs to speak out: IFRA should not be blamed.
Please visit IFRA’s site and have a look at who is IFRA. You can do so on their home page and then you will see that it is regular members (companies) and regional bodies (and no, zero, nada, niente third level supporting members such as small producers). You will find out that IFRA does not make laws or anything that anybody is forced by law to oblige. IFRA recommends and industry follows the recommendations and consumers buy. This IS important, because you should not blame the group coming up with recommendations, but the guy following them. And the guy having an interest in the recommendations. And, if you want to speak to industry, the best way to do so is via money and via speaking to them directly and about them, but not IFRA.
Thus, do not blame IFRA. Do not bash IFRA, IFRA is just the bag shown to you, making sure you do not hit the donkey.
And then, if you live in the EU, please visit the EU commission’s website and you will see that this is where IFRA recommendations end up being formed into (proposals) for laws. EU regulations and laws do not fall from heaven. Again: Do not blame IFRA, it is the guys and girls you send to Brussels making the laws. And, if you want to speak to politicians, the best way to do so is by speaking out to them and about them and by explaining them why they destroy part of the cultural heritage of Europe. I wish so much my fellow bloggers would stop talking about the IFRA bag and start talking about the EU law makers and the donkeys.
Thank you for reading this post.
And, to celebrate a 100% EU law conform perfume that I will show officially in September 10, at Pitti Fragranze in Florence: Here is a little draw. Leave a comment of any kind, and enter the draw for a full flacon of fragrance No. 12 EAU D’ÉPICES, or a little consolation price (a discovery set, containing 5 scents of your choice). I will not comment every comment, but sure read it.
========ADDED: AUGUST 23 2010=======
THIS DRAW IS OVER. The winners are:
Consolation prize
Elena (cm….@yahoo.com)
Full bottle of Eau d’épices:
Elisa (elisa.g….@gmail.com)
Thank you to all of you who commented. If you wish to add your thoughts on the topics of this post: You are very welcome.
DRAW CONDITIONS: The draw is international. Everybody can participate by sending in a comment. If you wish to comment without entering the draw: Please say so in your comment. The winners will be picked using random.org in the coming days. If the draw is over, we will announce it here on this blog post. Winners will be contacted by e-mail, thus leave a correct e-mail. By commenting you accept that we might contact you by e-mail in order to communicate about the result of this draw. We will not store your e-mail, use your e-mail nor forward your e-mail and other data to any third party. For more details on your privacy: See our privacy information page.
Picture: Medieval staircase going upwards to the light.
First to comment! Yes, there are always those known (and hidden) powers behind the rules. Please enter me in the drawing.
Thanks for an explanation. It is written wisely and in due time. Because IFRA became a subject of strong hatred among Russian perfumistas
the result is all the same – formulas change
does it matter who is to blame?
Thank you for reminding us who the IFRA actually is !! .
Consumers need to educate themselves , there needs to be a consumer organization that helps with this in the perfume world .
I would love to be included in the draw !
Even though IFRA don’t hold any executive power, such as law making, they still need to be recognized as a big power factor, being a lobby organization; and as such need to be subject to (constructive) criticism. This is of course not the same as saying they are to be blamed. Passive bystanders and yeasayers will be the biggest problem here, just as with so many other areas.
I have to say I’m very positive towards the more serious posts of late. There are times when it can’t and shouldn’t be avoided.
All the best!
Rules need to be broken
Very interesting post. Please enter me in the draw!
Thank you for your thoughtful post, Andy. I think it is very important to know exactly who is to blame when something you care about is impacted. It’s how we can retain & use what little power we retain.
I’m so glad you posted this. Had you asked me, I would have guessed that IFRA consisted of independent consultants, sort of a Supreme Court of perfume. But now I know different. And my takeaway from this is that these companies are so terrified by the idea of possible lawsuits or bad publicity (based on this erroneous, overblown fear of fragrance chemicals) that they are willing to cut their own throats creatively and tie the hands of the perfumers they employ. This *does* strike me as something we should blame them for. If they really wanted to do the industry some good, they would try to educate people instead of kowtowing to hysteria.
Andy,
I love your blog, I always learn something new every time I visit. I can imagine the IFRA has people’s health at heart, but I can also see where corruption could take place. Perfume industry is a very profitable business. Anytime money is involved, people will always want an edge. How easily they could put Natural perfumers out of business with just a few “recommendations”. It would also be easy to steer business to manufacturers of synthetics. I can understand your wanting to comply with these rules, but your customers (perfumistas) know better and love the way you create things normally. I look forward to your new creation.
Jimmy
Thank you Iryna and Jimmy!! I`ve been to both sites a good while ago.Sure, The IFRA does not make laws, but their horrid recommendations seem to make it into law, hence this is a double-fisted punch at the fine fragrance field, whom these 2 groups do not give a flip about! They wash each other`s backs, it seems. Remember when vanilla was given a break vs further restrictions when the profit that vanilla brings to a flailing fragrance industry was brought to attention? (See Grain de Musc, please!) Saks Fifth Ave in New York had Patou`s Joy returned more than a few times when the `new` formula was first sold – and SFA is NOT into returns!! Music?? “I Can`t Go For THAT!“ – Hall & Oats
Please include me in the draw. Thanks.
Hi Andy, thanks for writing on this issue. As long as the EU listens to the IFRA when making laws, we still need to criticize the IFRA. You could also try speaking directly to the EU politicans, but will they listen? Maybe if perfume gets more respect as a genuine art and creative heritage in Europe. I doubt the giant perfume companies will. If laws are passed that tie the hands of perfumers in Europe, will we see the birth of more small craft perfumers in America who don’t have to conform to the rules?
Hi Andy,
Thanks for the article – it is food for thought certainly. The new recommendations just seem like such overreaction. Was there such a large problem with allergies and skin irritation?
I’d love to be included in the drawing. Thanks!
What an interesting take on the subject Andy! I have definitely heard a great deal of noise on from the natural perfumers’ side but whatever the case it is good that these issues are being discussed. Perfume-lovers everywhere are more aware and conscious of these issues and I look forward to hearing different aspects of the issue… and most importantly from a purely selfish perspective please keep scenting the world with your creations Andy!
You know, there are only a small handful of people who care about these regulations. Most of them are already represented as part of the IFRA member organizations. The rest are a small number of industry independents outside of IFRA, and a tiny but vocal group who post on internet forums complaining about the loss of this or that ingredient, which will tear the heart out of this or that historic perfume.
But when you look at the sales numbers, many of these historic perfumes were almost forgotten anyway and this vocal minority of web posters were certainly not voting with the dollars.
There are many, many beautiful ingredients available to the modern perfumer and many more are being discovered and developed. We don’t need to cry over the past. There is no lack of beauty and creativity available in post IFRA perfumery.
Please enter me in draw!
Every industry, once it grows big enough, needs regulations; as much as they seem like pains in the figurative neck, they are also invaluable (in terms of integrity, quality control, safety etc). But everyone here knows this, I’m preaching for no reason.
Fascinating, though, how it can affect even someone so clearly concerned with product integrity. Andy, please do link the article in press when it does get published, if it’s on the web.
All right so IFRA is just an advisory.. but a very influential one so to speak.
I want to be in the draw as well.
And if we knew exactly who should be blamed for this lamentable outlook for perfumery as an art, what could we actually do, each of us, to safeguard our passion ?
How about creating a new product labeled “Parfum d’Ambiance” or similar, to be sprayed on fabrics, pillows and the like. Not to be sprayed on bare skin. And it would be at the customer’s own discrection to spray it on whatever they want.
And if there were enough perfumers joining together to create enough demand for a smaller essential oil producer to keep selling the essences of yore that the big guys don’t buy anymore because of the restrictions.
Very interesting! I have read the EFFA regulations are archaic. Why additionally follow the IFRA? The formula is cheapened 95%, drowning in a sea of gluttony and greed, how convenient to blame the IFRA. Andy, I don’t buy it either. The smoke-and-mirrored customers are not the primary reason for this decimation, but the craving for €¥£$.
I cannot wait to smell EAU D’ÉPICES. We have been reading about it for quite some time. Curious if the muse, Orange star, makes an appearance.
Oh, great random.org, for a long time already, it is time to you to look in my party:-)
Hi Andy and thanks very much indeed for this post.
As you know, I’ve done a fair amount of sarcastic IFRA-bashing on my blog, and yes, I think you’re quite right: it’s too simplistic – and a little lazy – to point the finger of blame at them and no-one else. I’ll promise to be more careful in future.
Everyone else has already made lots of interesting comments before me, so I don’t think I’ve got anything terribly worthwhile to add, except to echo what Style Spy wrote about how so many of the current problems in the world of perfumery stem from the fact that our culture – at least in the west – has become so litigious.
Does anyone out there know exactly what the statistics are as regards serious, dangerous allergic reactions to perfume ingredients, because I certainly don’t.
And I’ve also never been able to find a satisfatory answer to this question: if it is acceptable simply to indicate on a food item that it may contain nuts and thereby place responsibility for any possible effects caused by the food item on the consumer, then why can’t a similar system be followed by perfume manufacturers? Why can’t the label on a perfume simply indicate that, for instance, it contains more than 0.2% of evernia prunastri and then leave the consumer to decide if he/she should buy the perfume?
And finally, please enter me for the draw
Eau d’Epices would fit in VERY nicely in my collection…
I agree with your post and thank you for the clarity with which you write on this topic! I work for a large corporation where the politics behind identifying the fall guy make me sick.
I keep abreast of all notices, and sign petitions where I can…
Please put me in the draw !
I’ve wondered the same thing that Persolaise brought up – if food can be labelled to warn those with allergies (some life-threatening), why can’t perfume be labelled the same way? It seems strange to me that people with serious allergies are trusted not to buy a product that could potentially kill them, yet that same trust isn’t given to us about materials that could potentially cause a rash. I don’t quite understand the logic.
Thanks for shedding some light on this subject, Andy. I’d love to win either Eau de epices or a discovery set.
Crossing my fingers and eyeballs…..
Hm, hm, I’m afraid I can’t forgive IFRA for killing off oakmoss to begin with, but I’m willing to overlook the fact for a second if that steered your creative thought process in another direction and to great effect. I’d love to be given a chance to compare your earlier Eau d’epices with the final version, so please throw my name into the hat!
Oh, I wish to be in the draw.
It is good to hear your perspective on this. In addition to encouraging litigation, I think our culture also encourages people to “take sides” rather than simply explore and debate. It’s nice to land somewhere where the rhetoric of some sort of sporting match/us v them is toned down, and the system is unveiled.
I’d add in the thought that the desire to reveal problematic ingredients is not a bad one; but policing without thought does disturb me.
Hmmm, don’t blame IFRA? I still think some of their recomendations are OTT, they know fine well they will be taken VERY seriously so maybe they need to think a bit more before recomending anything!
I’ll echo Persolaise, Style Spy, Hotlanta Linda, etc. in that a lot of people have already made good comments. True, it’s simplistic to blame them, but they do carry a lot of weight. Fishy things are going on, methinks. Too much influence. It reminds me a lot of the US pharmaceutical companies and industrial agriculture company lobbies with the US Congress – too much pressure and influence and it’s not serving the American people well. I wouldn’t be surprised if something like that were going on with IFRA and EU law makers.
Maybe I”m pessimistic.
I also agree – I can’t understand the willingness to completely eradicate a beloved ingredient rather than have perfumers list allergens on the boxes for consumers to be aware. Why make everyone suffer for the small percentage? It’s very unfair.
But thank you for posting the information, Andy, interesting reading.
Please include me in the draw! I’m DYING for Eau d’epices!!!
Question for Andy: I understand what you say above, about stopping the blame game on IFRA and instead speak out to EU politicians…but how can those of us global consumers make our voices heard when we don’t fall under EU governance?
Someone who’s got a legal mind should start a perfume consumers lobby to the EU to stand up for consumer wishes (i.e. the majority).
Can’t pass up a chance for an FB of any Tauer!
Hmm, I’d say there’s plenty of blame to go around; the question — particularly for those of us who live outside the EU — is what to do about it… I’m in complete agreement with the above posters that labeling is the solution. The cosmetics companies already have to list ingredients on everything from skin cream to mascara, so why not perfume?
Oh, and lest I forget, I’d love to be entered in the drawing, pretty please!
Andy,
Another great post. I agree that more should be done to educate the public about this issue. I think their is enough blame to go around, that IFRA has just become a scapegoat for the Politicians, they are the ones as you pointed out that makes the laws. Just like Health and Safety they take everything to the extreme. I like to see some common sense brought in to this issue.
One question do you feel that it curbs your ability to create new Perfumes for us? If so are you going to be able to keep up the great work you have done so far?
Please add me to the drawing.
Cheers!
Thanks for clarifying this issue. I like the post above about the need to have some kind of consumer organization — someone smarter than me needs to figure out how to organize such a thing.
Hi Andy,
I also echo what Linda, Devon, Persolaise, Style Spy and others are thinking –why can’t an appropriate label be put on the offending perfumes and let the consumer decide to buy or not? All this nanny-ing is insulting to the consumer. If one is allergic to something, one will go out of the way to make sure one avoids it.
And please enter me in the draw…thank you!
Interesting read… Please enter me in the draw, thanks!
For clarification: I don’t think you need to request to be entered in the draw, you will be entered simply by posting. Only if you do NOT want to be entered, you need to say so in your post. Right?
The labeling suggestion sounds like a fine idea.
ciao Andy and all you out there.
a question:is IFRA objective on their recommendations?
i think(hope) yes, because they based their recommendation on clinical, chemical, medical results.
IFRA do his job, ok… the legislator has to do good laws for all of us… maybe..so another question:
is a simple recommendation sufficient to take decisions for laws on fragrance composition? the facts are one thing; understanding them and using them with wisdom is another.
let’s draw!!!!:-)
Thanks for the info and please add me to the draw
Andy,
As you point out ..it isn’t the resulting laws or regulatons that should bear so much scrutiny but rather the people who push to legislate the regulations that should be more carefully scrutinized. A sad example of this ,I believe, would be the idiotic recent legislation regarding immigration in America. If more United States citizens were better educated on this subject I don’t think the hateful and racially unfair legislation regarding deportation of immigrants would ever have been considered let alone made into law.Especially in light of the fact that Native American Indians most certainly once viewed the white man as an unwelcome immigrant to their land!
!It is usually ignorance. stereotyping and corrupt business practices that result in bad legislation and we do need to look at who we choose to represent us before making assumptions.
Educating ourselves and others is always the basis for understanding and in this instance it is perfumers such as you, who love the art above the mass mania that will help us to understand the importance of retaining integral aspects of the artists palette.
Having recently stated that, if I could, I would live in a bottle of your perfume, I wouldbe pretty remiss if I did not enter the drawing.
best to you and yours,
Michelle
Great point about IFRA Andy. Up to now I would have assumed that it was the body legislating. As someone still plumbing the depths of perfume discovery, I am continually frustrated to hear that classic fragrant materials become illegal to use. I know that some of these rules have a positive place…it’s just too bad that art and “public well-being” (?) seem to be at odds in the case of perfumery. In any event, you manage to create beautiful work even within the regulations.
As to the draw for L’Eau D’Epices…I wish I was able to jet over to Florence to snatch up a bottle on Sep 10! But I’ll happily settle for entering the drawing. Can’t wait to try this, whenever I manage to get my hands on it.
Great post. I am looking forward to the draw!
Thank you for the drawing and the very interesting blog post!
L’Eau d’Epices is wonderful!
I appreciate that perfumers can still make good work within increasingly narrow boundaries; please enter me in the draw. Would love to smell L’Eau
It’s sad to see that it all comes down to money: good real natural essences are expensive and hard to get, and the industries that produce them don’t raise their voices high enough.
just read about orange blossom abs in the latest post n got down to here just now! so you re offering EAU D’ÉPICES!!! wow… pls include me in the draw~ thank you!
Dear Andy,
I would like to try EAU D’ÉPICES. Please, include me in the draw.
MAROC POUR ELLE is very popular this summer in Jerusalem – even taxi driver once asked me what is the name of unusual fragrance that I use and wrote down how to order it.
Thank you for your art!
I really don’t know how much IFRA could do problems, but recommendation are not something that you can neglect so easily, specially if it comes from “profession”.
I truly hope that they demands/recommendation won’t keep perfumers out of job.
love spices. want to win. still madly in love with lonestar memories.
Funny, I’ve never actually heard of anyone having any sort of skin reaction to any perfumes. Headaches and sinus problems, yes, but never any skin rashes. Where are all of these contact allergen sufferers?
I’m just glad I’m not one, so please include me in the draw!
Thanks for the interesting article. Have been waiting for eau d’epices to be released for ages. I’m sure you’ve been referring to it on your blog for more than a year…. glad it’s finally here!!
Your descriptions of eau d’epices are intriguing. I love une rose chypree (I assume from what you say that it is the cinnamon in this that helps to make it so compelling.) Is this what the spices will do for the orange blossom in eau d’epices, I wonder.
I am really excited with this fragrance and as a spice lover I am looking forward to smell it. Great post.
)
sincerely
Renata (wearing Lonestar Memories sample right now
Thanks for clarifying about IFRA, Andy … and please add me to the draw. I’m very much looking forward to l’eau d’epices since trying an earlier version … what, two years ago now?
oh, please enter me the draw
this sounds like a potential new love
The mind of Andy Tauer and spices mixed into a beautiful bottle are reason enough to purchase something Swiss. Eau D’EPICES sounds wonderful. Please enter this grandson of a Swiss immigrant in the draw.
I have been working endless night shifts…so I am very much looking forward to something with warm, energizing spices to lend me some zing! Can’t wait to sniff L’eau d’epices.
If the allergen is a skin irritant as opposed to an airborne irritant that could affect others, I can’t see any justification for anything other than clear labelling. You don’t ban peanuts, you just warn people when they’re there so those who have an allergy can avoid them.
As always it’s all about the money. Big synthetic perfumery materials producers are lobbing in EU for forbidding the use of natural ingredients to make their products’ sale bigger. That’s the way the World is spinning round!
Andy – your perfumes are out of THIS World!
Greetings from POLAND!
Coming back to reality here… very slowly
Is the draw still open? Eau d’epice would be such a treat.
Well Andy, I do agree with you about the fact that IFRA is not The Scapegoat and The Source of All Problems in Perfumery (actually I think marketing is). But I do blame IFRA as I am not sure they perform their analyses efficiently. They do investigate a single ingredient and come up with numbers – use below this level and it will be safe for everyone. Use more and it might cause allergy at someone (even if the chance is 1:100…(put as many zeros as you like). What I do miss is practical approach and some evidence based investigation. Diorissimo with prohibitively high level of Hidroxynellal has been used for years before the formula was changed. How many complains have been registered? Hoe many allergic reactions?
Why citral may be used as a medicine when you can swallow it in much higher concentration than IFRA recommends to apply on skin?
Why is vervein allowed in aromatherapy and forbidden in perfumes?:
The recommendations of IFRA seem a bit short-sighted to me and not always grounded with practical information.
Dear Andy ,please enter me in the post. I find the IFRA
regulations bewildering, the scents that I have the most
trouble with are the cheapest,most common scents in laundry soaps and air freshener products. Why don’t they ban them ?