Possibly one of my least favorite tracks from skin care the advice is to avoid scented products like the plague. Please believe me when I say this is categorically wrong. Not everyone needs to avoid fragrance in their skincare products. If you have extremely reactive skin (for example, in the form of contact dermatitis, eczema, acne, rosacea, etc.), you will likely benefit from removing the scent, as it can make the irritation worse. For most people, however, fragrance in skincare is a perfectly acceptable thing.
As a beauty editor who has a pretty deep knowledge of skin function and skincare formulation, I’m happy to admit that most of my skincare products contain fragrance. For what? Because I like this. My skincare go-to, esthetician Pamela Marshall of Mortar & Milk, once told me that the best skincare products are the ones you use. For me, fragrance adds a sensory touch to my skincare routine, a touch that actually makes me to want take off my makeup at the end of the day. If your skin is really aggravated, irritated and angry, stop the perfume for a while. But otherwise ? A little perfume in your skin care won’t hurt you.
