IFRA Compliance for Skincare: Leave-On Limits Guide (2025)

Last updated: December 2025

Skincare has the strictest IFRA limits of any handmade product category. Unlike candles where IFRA rarely matters, leave-on skincare products face real restrictions that can force you to reformulate or abandon certain fragrances entirely.

This guide covers which IFRA categories apply to your products, how to check limits, and why that fragrance oil you love in soap might be prohibited in lotion.

In this guide:

Why skincare limits are stricter than other product types
The skincare IFRA categories (5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, and Category 1)
How to check your fragrance limits step by step
Essential oils with restrictive limits (citrus, spice, florals)
Calculating limits for blends
What to do if your fragrance is restricted

Why Skincare Limits Are Stricter

IFRA limits are based on exposure—how much product contacts skin, how long it stays, and where on the body.

Product Type	IFRA Category	Exposure Level	Typical Limits
Candles	Category 12	None (no skin contact)	Usually 100%
Soap (rinse-off)	Category 9	Brief, washed away	2-35%
Body lotion	Category 5A	Hours on skin	Often 1-5%
Face cream	Category 5B	Hours on sensitive skin	Often <2%
Lip balm	Category 1	Ingestion risk	Often 0%

A fragrance that's completely unrestricted for candles might be limited to 2% for lotion and prohibited entirely for lip products.

The Skincare IFRA Categories

Under the IFRA 51st Amendment (current as of June 2023), Category 5 covers most leave-on skincare:

Category 5A: Body Products

Body lotion and cream
Body oil
Body butter
Foot cream
Body powder (non-baby)

Category 5B: Face Products

Facial moisturizer
Face cream
Facial toner
Serum (if fragranced)

Category 5C: Hand Products

Hand cream
Hand lotion
Cuticle cream
Hand sanitizer

Category 5D: Baby Products

Baby lotion
Baby oil
Baby powder
Diaper cream

Baby products have the strictest limits within Category 5.

Category 1: Lip Products

Lip balm
Lipstick
Lip gloss
Lip scrub

Many fragrances show "0%" or "Not Approved" for Category 1. Use flavor oils instead.

How to Check Your Fragrance Limits

Step 1: Get the IFRA Certificate

Every fragrance supplier should provide an IFRA Certificate of Conformity. Look for certificates showing the 51st Amendment (current standard).

CandleScience's guide to reading IFRA certificates is helpful if you're new to this.

Step 2: Find Your Category

Match your product to the correct category:

Your Product	IFRA Category
Body lotion	5A
Face moisturizer	5B
Hand cream	5C
Baby lotion	5D
Lip balm	1
Body scrub (rinse-off)	9
Bath bomb	9

Step 3: Check the Limit

Find your category's percentage on the certificate.

Example certificate excerpt:

Category	Max Usage
Category 5A (body lotion)	2.45%
Category 5B (face cream)	1.83%
Category 5C (hand cream)	3.12%
Category 1 (lip)	Not Approved

Step 4: Compare to Your Formula

If you typically use 2% fragrance in lotion and the limit is 2.45%, you're compliant.

If the limit is 1.5%, you need to reduce or choose a different fragrance.

Industry Standard vs. IFRA Maximum

Important: The IFRA maximum is a safety ceiling, not a recommendation.

Product	IFRA Max (typical range)	Industry Standard
Body lotion	1-5%	0.5-1%
Face cream	0.5-3%	0.25-0.5%
Hand cream	1-4%	0.5-1%
Lip balm	Often 0%	Use flavor oils

Most formulators use far less than the IFRA maximum because:

Lower fragrance = better skin tolerance
Fragrance can destabilize emulsions
Customers with sensitive skin prefer light scent
Cost savings

Marie Gale's guide to IFRA standards provides excellent detail on calculating limits.

Essential Oils with Restrictive Limits

Essential oils contain natural compounds that IFRA restricts. Common problem oils:

Citrus Oils (Phototoxicity)

Cold-pressed citrus oils contain furanocoumarins that cause skin reactions with sun exposure.

Essential Oil	Leave-On Limit	Why
Bergamot (cold-pressed)	0.4%	Bergapten
Lime (cold-pressed)	0.7%	Furanocoumarins
Lemon (cold-pressed)	2%	Lower risk
Grapefruit	4%	Moderate

Solution: Use steam-distilled or bergapten-free versions for higher limits.

Spice Oils (Sensitization)

Essential Oil	Problem Compound	Typical Limit
Cinnamon bark	Cinnamaldehyde	<1%
Cinnamon leaf	Eugenol	<1%
Clove bud	Eugenol	<0.5%

These are often too restricted to use meaningfully in leave-on products.

Floral Oils

Some florals contain restricted compounds at levels that matter:

Essential Oil	Watch For
Ylang ylang	Multiple restrictions
Jasmine absolute	Various
Rose absolute	Citronellol, geraniol

Always check the specific IFRA certificate—limits vary by supplier and batch.

Calculating Limits for Blends

If your formula uses multiple fragrance sources, you must calculate total restricted compounds.

Example: Your face cream contains:

Lavender EO at 0.3%
Geranium EO at 0.2%

Both contain linalool and geraniol. If IFRA limits linalool to 1% in Category 5B, you need to:

Find linalool % in each EO (from spec sheets)
Calculate total linalool in your formula
Confirm total is under 1%

This gets complex fast. Formula Botanica and Point of Interest offer detailed formulation resources.

Face Products: Extra Caution

Category 5B (face) often has stricter limits than 5A (body) because:

Facial skin is more sensitive
Higher absorption rate
Greater sensitization risk

Common restrictions for face products:

Compound	Body (5A) Limit	Face (5B) Limit
Citral	0.6%	0.15%
Eugenol	1.7%	0.64%
Various musks	Varies	Often lower

A fragrance approved for body lotion may not work for face cream. Always check the specific category.

Lip Products: Usually No Fragrance

Category 1 (lip products) has the most restrictions because:

Direct ingestion risk
Mucous membrane contact
Repeated application

Most fragrance oils show "0%" or "Not Approved" for Category 1.

What to use instead:

Flavor oils (designed for lip-safe use)
Lip-safe essential oils (limited options)
Unfragranced formulas

If a fragrance shows any approved percentage for Category 1, verify it's actually meaningful (some show 0.01% which is functionally zero).

What If Your Favorite Fragrance Is Restricted?

Option 1: Reduce Usage

If limited to 1% and you typically use 2%, try 1%. The scent will be lighter but may still work.

Option 2: Find an Alternative

Ask your supplier:

"Do you have a version reformulated for leave-on products?"
"What similar fragrances have higher Category 5 limits?"

Option 3: Use for Rinse-Off Only

Reserve restricted fragrances for soap, scrubs, and bath products (Category 9) where limits are higher.

Option 4: Go Unscented

Many skincare customers prefer unscented products anyway. It's a valid product positioning.

Documentation for Compliance

Keep records showing IFRA compliance:

IFRA Certificate for each fragrance (dated, showing amendment version)
Formula showing usage percentage
Calculation confirming % is under limit

If a customer has a reaction, this documentation protects you.

Key Takeaways

Leave-on skincare has strict IFRA limits—often 1-5% vs. 100% for candles
Face products (5B) are stricter than body (5A)
Lip products (Category 1) usually prohibit fragrance—use flavor oils
Essential oils have limits too—especially citrus and spice
Industry standard is below IFRA maximum—most formulators use 0.5-1%
Calculate blends carefully—multiple EOs add up
Keep documentation—certificates plus formula records

Frequently Asked Questions

What IFRA category is body lotion?

Body lotion falls under IFRA Category 5A. This covers leave-on body products including body cream, body oil, body butter, and foot cream. Limits are typically 1-5% depending on the fragrance.

Can I use fragrance oil in lip balm?

Most fragrance oils are not approved for lip products (Category 1) due to ingestion risk. Use flavor oils instead—they're specifically formulated for lip-safe use. Always check the IFRA certificate; if Category 1 shows "0%" or "Not Approved," that fragrance cannot be used in lip products at any concentration.

Why is bergamot restricted to 0.4% in skincare?

Cold-pressed bergamot contains bergapten, a furanocoumarin that causes phototoxic reactions when skin is exposed to sunlight. The 0.4% limit prevents these reactions. Use bergapten-free (FCF) or steam-distilled bergamot for higher limits.

Are face products stricter than body products?

Yes. Face products (Category 5B) often have stricter limits than body products (Category 5A) because facial skin is more sensitive and has higher absorption rates. A fragrance approved for body lotion may not work for face cream.

Do I need IFRA certificates for essential oils?

Yes. Essential oils contain natural compounds that IFRA restricts (linalool, citronellol, eugenol, etc.). Get certificates from your supplier or request compositional analysis showing restricted compound levels.

Managing IFRA Across Your Product Line

If you make lotion, face cream, lip balm, and soap—each has different IFRA categories and limits. One fragrance might work for some products but not others.

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