What Does Clean Mean?

“Transparent” would seem the perfect word to describe a bottle of perfume—you can see right through it. But few products available in the US are less transparent than perfume, actually: The term “fragrance” is, by design, a bucket into which beauty companies can put whatever ingredient they want, without having to disclose it on the label. When you see “fragrance” listed, unexplained, on any cosmetics label—not just on perfumes, but also skin cream, shampoo, body wash, lipstick, anything—it’s important to know that it could include any number of some 3,000 potential cosmetic ingredients, some toxic, some not.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn't regulate the term, but, for beauty moguls out there, “clean” typically means a product is made without certain potentially harmful ingredients, like parabens, formaldehyde, talc, and fragrance. 

The term ‘fragrance’ has become a way for corporations to hide ingredients, from phthalates, parabens, potential endocrine disruptors and carcinogens, to anything toxic they don’t want to list on the label. What began as a term to keep perfume formulas a trade secret has evolved into this chemical dumping ground.

If the list of ingredients on a label includes ‘fragrance’ and doesn’t break down what’s in that fragrance, don’t assume that all of those hidden ingredients are safe.

*Cue music and applause while Elia Parfum enter*

 Our vegan, cruelty free ingredients can be found on our website listed under ingredients. We feel its YOUR right to know what you're putting on your body and honor the transparency we'd expect from our favorite brands.