IFRA
Also known as: International Fragrance Association
The International Fragrance Association, an industry association that publishes standards for fragrance ingredients as part of a self-regulatory system.
IFRA stands for the International Fragrance Association. It represents the fragrance industry and publishes the IFRA Standards. These can prohibit an ingredient, restrict its use or specify conditions such as purity. IFRA describes itself as an industry self-regulatory body, separate from a government regulator.
The intended use matters: limits for a fragrance mixture depend on the finished product category. A supplier’s Certificate of Conformity addresses compliance for specified uses. IFRA explains that suppliers prepare these documents; the association does not issue them or certify individual bottles itself.
IFRA’s guidance also distinguishes compliance with its Standards from a product safety assessment and applicable laws. For readers, the useful question is what a maker’s claim actually covers. IFRA compliance describes standards for formulation and use, rather than a rating of scent quality or a reason to assume a particular perfume has been reformulated.