To fragrance or not to fragrance?
— Soft Services newsletter
Why we go sans fragrance as a baseline.
Our olfactory senses are surrounded (sometimes cornered) by all the aromas of our immediate world; fresh coffee, clean laundry, salty ocean air, or perhaps the Frito-esque smell of dog paws—whatever tickles your fancy, really. We believe that scent is a special privilege, intrinsic to the human experience.
Traditionally, beauty products, and especially bodycare products, have been moderately to heavily perfumed, commonly with a strong “powdery grandma scent” (said with love for all grandmothers, of course), an abundant rose bouquet, or a ripe fruit basket.
” —Diana, Soft Services customer since 2021 While scents in the beauty industry have certainly come a long way since the time of our foremothers (see below for some of team Soft Services’ favorites), a shift ensued when the American Contact Dermatitis Society declared Fragrance as the ‘Allergen of the Year’ in 2007. This declaration sparked a division of opinions between those who relish scented skincare and those who shun it.
Our stance on fragrance in skincare, like all subjective matters, is that it depends . “Consumers with sensitive skin, olfactory sensitivity to fragrance or with chronic skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis are strongly advised to use fragrance-free cosmetics.
All else equal, an unfragranced cosmetic has a much lower potential to cause skin irritation or sensitization in these vulnerable populations,” “Consumers with sensitive skin, olfactory sensitivity to fragrance or with chronic skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis are strongly advised to use fragrance-free cosmetics.
All else equal, an unfragranced cosmetic has a much lower potential to cause skin irritation or sensitization in these vulnerable populations,” —Scott Sadoff, CEO of Personal Care Regulatory Safety Services, LLC and Soft Services’ go-to expert for all matters product safety and toxicology.
Additionally, fragrance in your routine may be problematic for reasons such as having an allergy to an ingredient component included in the fragrance mix of a product, an impaired moisture barrier/ sensitive skin, an extra receptive nose, or being prone to migraines. Otherwise, there isn’t a concrete reason to completely eliminate it. ), we choose to develop each formula without added fragrance as a baseline.
This way, everyone can enjoy the benefits of our products with a greatly reduced chance for adverse skin reactions, whether you are are pro, anti, or fragrance-neutral. After all, you can always layer on your fragrance of choice, with freedom to switch it up as you please, though once it’s formulated within a product, a commitment has been made.
” —Sandra, Soft Services customer since 2021 While the option to purchase our core lineup as fragrance-free will always be the standard, we are onboard to release fragranced iterations of our well-loved products. A past example of this is (limited edition and now sold out) “New Spice” Buffing Bar —containing the same buffing capabilities as the original (fragrance-free) Buffing Bar , while scented to smell like tonka beans, cedar greens, cinnamon and clove.
Our team thoroughly enjoyed working on this product and spoiler alert... there are more fragranced products from us on the horizon. To us, options are nice so that you can make the best decision for yourself. co. Shop Products A FINE TASTE FOR fragrance While our core lineup is fully fragrance-free, we still enjoy whiffs of unique aromas—to lift our spirits, set a certain ambiance, invoke nostalgia, and bring joy.
Here are hand-picked scents, in various formats, that are savored by the noses of the Soft Services team: 1. ARLO HOTEL Deep Wood room spray, 2. TAMBURINS Parfum Balm in Lale, 3. MAINSTAY Everyday Oil, 4. ASTIER DE VILLATTE “Villa Medicis” Incense, 5. ROSEBUD PERFUME CO. Smith’s Rosebud Salve, 6. SUMMER FRIDAYS Lip Balm in Vanilla Beige, 7. ORIBE Dry Texturing Spray, 8. TAKAMICHI Nine Orchard Hotel Candle, 9. DIPTYQUE Exfoliating Hand Wash, 10. LOEWE Candle in Beetroot, 11.
MORNING STAR Incense in Palo Santo, 12. NONFICTION Body Care Set in Gentle Night , 13. CAUDALIE Deodorant in Eucalyptus, 14. DAVINES Oi All In One Milk Spray, 15. NIVEA Milk Honey Lip Balm, 16. RHODE Skin Salted Caramel Lip Treatment 1. ARLO HOTEL Deep Wood room spray, 2. TAMBURINS Parfum Balm in Lale, 3. MAINSTAY Everyday Oil, 4. ASTIER DE VILLATTE “Villa Medicis” Incense, 5. ROSEBUD PERFUME CO. Smith’s Rosebud Salve, 6. SUMMER FRIDAYS Lip Balm in Vanilla Beige, 7.
ORIBE Dry Texturing Spray, 8. TAKAMICHI Nine Orchard Hotel Candle, 9. DIPTYQUE Exfoliating Hand Wash, 10. LOEWE Candle in Beetroot, 11. MORNING STAR Incense in Palo Santo, 12. NONFICTION Gentle Night Body Care Set, 13. CAUDALIE Deodorant in Eucalyptus, 14. DAVINES Oi All In One Milk Spray, 15. NIVEA Milk Honey Lip Balm, 16. RHODE Skin Salted Caramel Lip Treatment
Tags: Behind the Brand, Ingredients, Body Acne, Dry Skin, Eczema, Keratosis Pilaris, Psoriasis, Buffing Bar — Original