The USDA Policy on Fragrances

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is involved in regulating organic and all natural fragrances.

Perfumes or fragrances are not typically regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). However, the USDA does have oversight over a specific type of fragrance.

Type

All organic or natural fragrance products sold in the United States market must meet the quality control standards of the USDA.

Reasoning

The USDA regulates any product that is marketed as an organic product. The USDA labels products as organic when the product does not contain any hormones, pesticides, insecticides or herbicides. The USDA must confirm that all the ingredients in the fragrance follow the organic compliance standards.

Levels

Products with the 100 percent organic label follow the USDA compliance standards completely. Certified organic" labels means the USDA found less than 5 percent of the ingredients as not complying with the organic standards. Made with organic ingredients means that the USDA found 70 percent to 94 percent of the ingredients met organic standards. Anything less than 70 percent cannot have a USDA organic label.

References

• Sephora: Natural
• USDA: Organic Labeling and Marketing Information