Ghosh tells R29, “Some studies suggest [that these] fragrance ingredients may mimic hormones,” basically acting like hormones in the body, “but this isn’t the same as disrupting them.” What’s important, adds Ghosh, is that most lab-based studies tend to use perfume ingredient doses far higher than what you’d ever spritz on your skin in real life. Scott agrees, adding that it’s the dose that determines the risk: “Fragrances are usually included in formulations at under 1%, with phthalates potentially present in even smaller amounts,” she says. Scott points out that giving 100% of these ingredients to study subjects (often not humans) would clearly lead to inflated data that doesn’t match the actual concentration in perfume formulas. Since these ingredients are used in such tiny concentrations in perfumes, they’re considered safe for humans, says Ghosh.
