FAQ : SC Johnson

Why do you use fragrances in your products?

Consumers tell us they love fragrances, because they do so much to make a home special. They can freshen the air, eliminate odours or provide that just-cleaned ambiance that many want. We do make a few fragrance free products for people who prefer them, but most of our testing shows that the majority of people love fragranced household products.

Why don’t you say exactly which fragrance ingredients are in which specific products?

Our exact fragrance formulas are kind of like an award-winning secret family recipe – we keep them in the family because that way no other company can mimic our great scents. But that said, we DO share our full fragrance palette, meaning you can review all the ingredients we might use in a fragrance to look for any that about which you might have a particular concern. And if we use an ingredient you’re concerned about, you can call us at 1-800-558-5252 for recommendations about specific products that might be best for you.

I’ve read that some fragrance ingredients aren’t safe. Should I be worried?

No, you can rest assured that we work closely with our fragrance suppliers to ensure that we have evaluated the ingredients in our fragrances, both for human health and the environment. We meet, and often surpass, the regulatory requirements of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Consumer Safety Product Commission in the U.S. and Health Canada, as well as the standards specified by the International Fragrance Association (IFRA).Plus, at SC Johnson, we take the review of fragrance ingredients a step further. We evaluate them not only under the IFRA standards, but also under our own standards that may look at ingredients differently. We start with the IFRA list and then apply our own internal requirements. These internal requirements may look at the same criteria as IFRA, such as carcinogicity, mutagenicity or reproductive toxicity, but at SC Johnson, we may take a stricter or different view of an ingredient. In some instances, we may also consider additional factors such as consumer confidence with ingredients or other scientific viewpoints.

Plus, at SC Johnson, we take the review of fragrance ingredients a step further. We evaluate them not only under the IFRA standards, but also under our own standards that may look at ingredients differently. We start with the IFRA list and then apply our own internal requirements. These internal requirements may look at the same criteria as IFRA, such as carcinogicity, mutagenicity or reproductive toxicity, but at SC Johnson, we may take a stricter or different view of an ingredient. In some instances, we may also consider additional factors such as consumer confidence with ingredients or other scientific viewpoints.

Why use synthetic fragrances instead of all natural fragrances?

In today’s world, we’re often told we should always use natural things. From food to clothing to other products, the notion is that natural ingredients may be healthier or help sustain resources and the environment. But surprising as it may seem, that isn’t always the case. In fact, natural fragrance materials may be more toxic than their synthetic counterparts. An example is d-Limonene, which is in many natural fragrance materials and is a component of citrus peels. D-Limonene can cause skin allergies and can potentially be toxic to organisms in waterways, depending on the dose. And many other natural fragrance ingredients have the same hazard. In fact, the amount of limonene in an orange peel is enough to warrant a “Harmful” classification as a skin allergy hazard in the European Union AND a “Dead Tree and Dead Fish” symbol for being dangerous to the environment!So should the use of natural fragrance materials be avoided altogether? No. But neither should the use of synthetic ingredients with similar or better profiles. As long as a fragrance ingredient is used at an appropriate concentration in a product, there should be no problems with using it. And that goes for both natural and synthetic ingredients.

So should the use of natural fragrance materials be avoided altogether? No. But neither should the use of synthetic ingredients with similar or better profiles. As long as a fragrance ingredient is used at an appropriate concentration in a product, there should be no problems with using it. And that goes for both natural and synthetic ingredients.

Why are there so many potential ingredients in your fragrance palette?

While SC Johnson’s exclusive fragrance palette has about 1,500 ingredients, it’s important to remember that we excluded another 1,500 commonly used ingredients because they didn’t meet our SC Johnson standards. A typical oil-based fragrance could have as many as 50 different ingredients; a complex fragrance might mix 50 to 200. Having a palette of 1,500 options gives our perfumers great room for creativity so they can develop the amazing fragrances you expect.

Are SC Johnson fragrances safe for people and the environment?

Yes, we believe that all our fragranced products can be used safely if used according to label directions. We meet, and often surpass, the regulatory requirements of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Consumer Safety Product Commission in the U.S. and Health Canada, as well as the standards specified by the International Fragrance Association (IFRA).Ingredients that are part of SC Johnson’s exclusive fragrance palette must live up to the safety standards of the International Fragrance Association as well as our own SC Johnson standards.

Ingredients that are part of SC Johnson’s exclusive fragrance palette must live up to the safety standards of the International Fragrance Association as well as our own SC Johnson standards.

What are phthalates and do you use them in your fragrances?

Phthalates are actually a large family of ingredients that have many uses. Our exclusive fragrance palette does not include phthalates. In 2008, we began requiring our suppliers to phase out phthalates from the fragrances they supply for SC Johnson products.

What are glycol ethers and do you use them in your fragrances?

Glycol ethers are a family of ingredients. While some glycol ethers have been demonstrated to cause reproductive harm, that’s not true of the whole ingredient family. SC Johnson ONLY allows fragrances with glycol ethers that live up to International Fragrance Association standards and our own SC Johnson standards.

What are synthetic musks and do you use them in your fragrances?

For many years, musk for fragrance was extracted from the glands of male musk deer. But in recent decades, synthetic musks have replaced natural musks for ethical and economic reasons. Polycyclic and nitromusks are two types of synthetic musks. SC Johnson fragrances do not use nitromusks, which have been linked to reproductive issues. We do use polycyclic musks, which are commonly used in household products and cosmetics and are not classified as either toxic or bioaccumulative, meaning they could build up in the environment. That said, some recent studies have detected these polycyclic musks in blood and mother’s milk samples. When we see new information like that, we take extra care in our analysis of an ingredient, but we have not yet seen any scientific indication of adverse effects of polycyclic musks at the levels in our fragrances. As in the case with all our ingredients, if new scientific information emerges about polycyclic musks, we will evaluate the science and where appropriate make changes to our fragrance palette. As in the case with all our ingredients, if new scientific information emerges about polycyclic musks, we will evaluate the science and where appropriate make changes to our fragrance palette.

That said, some recent studies have detected these polycyclic musks in blood and mother’s milk samples. When we see new information like that, we take extra care in our analysis of an ingredient, but we have not yet seen any scientific indication of adverse effects of polycyclic musks at the levels in our fragrances. As in the case with all our ingredients, if new scientific information emerges about polycyclic musks, we will evaluate the science and where appropriate make changes to our fragrance palette.

As in the case with all our ingredients, if new scientific information emerges about polycyclic musks, we will evaluate the science and where appropriate make changes to our fragrance palette.

What is d-Limonene and do you use it in your fragrances?

d-Limonene is an essential fragrance material that is distilled from the oil extracted from citrus peels. Many of our fragrances do contain small amount of d-Limonene. There are some concerns about using d-Limonene because it can sometimes cause skin sensitivity or allergies on contact. d-Limonene is one the EU 26 allergens, which is a list of common fragrance components that can potentially cause a skin reaction in individuals who are already allergic to those materials. However, consistent with the IFRA standards, we require that they only be used at concentrations that have not been shown to result in allergic responses in people who are not sensitive to these materials.

However, consistent with the IFRA standards, we require that they only be used at concentrations that have not been shown to result in allergic responses in people who are not sensitive to these materials.

What are parabens and do you use them in your fragrances?

Parabens are a family of preservatives that are widely used in cosmetics. Some of our fragrances contain small amounts of parabens to preserve the fragrance and formula. While a small number of people have allergies to preservatives – just as some people have allergies to nuts or bees – preservatives play an important role. Without them, many products would not last more than a week or two before being contaminated by bacteria, mold or yeast. So, we believe adding preservatives in the smallest effective quantity makes sense. We only use parabens that live up to International Fragrance Association standards and our own SC Johnson standards.

Frequently Asked Questions

Have a Question?