Does “CMR-free” mean risk-free? 5 myths about candle fragrances

Three letters, spotted in passing on a product page or a safety data sheet: CMR. The acronym is enough to set alarm bells ringing, and the reflex is only natural: you would rather put the product aside and move on.

Many of you ask us about it, in fact. It is probably one of the most misunderstood aspects of making candles and wax melts, surrounded as it is by so many myths:

• Do “CMR-free” or “non-toxic” labels guarantee a 100% healthy product? A fragrance can contain substances classified as CMR at low concentration without them necessarily having to appear in every regulatory document. The obligations depend on the substance, its classification and the applicable thresholds. Full transparency: we show everything, down to the tiniest trace.
• Is “natural” automatically safe, and is “CMR” always synthetic? Some substances classified as CMR occur naturally in perfumery raw materials. Whether a substance is natural or synthetic tells you nothing, on its own, about how hazardous it is. Rigour: we judge each substance on its data, not on its origin.
• Is a formula set in stone? Science moves on and European classifications change regularly. Agility: we reassess our formulations whenever advances in scientific knowledge, regulations or applicable standards warrant it.
• CMRs, phthalates, allergens and endocrine disruptors: are they the same thing? They are distinct categories that can, at most, overlap. Precision: each family is documented separately.
• Does a “CMR-free” fragrance burn better and smoke less? Burn quality depends on the wax, the wick and the fragrance load, not on CMRs. Education: we explain what really matters.

None of these claims holds up to scrutiny.

Because what determines the level of risk is not the mere presence of a substance, but its nature, its proportion and how the product is used.

So we have decided to lay everything on the table, in full transparency: what “CMR” really means, the role these molecules play in a fragrance, exactly what the regulations say, where the real risk lies in a candle, and why a regulatory change can lead to a fragrance being reformulated. All backed by figures from our own compositions.

What is a CMR product?

By definition, CMRs are substances that pose a carcinogenic, mutagenic or reproductive toxicity hazard. These properties can apply to natural and synthetic substances alike. Some of them are found in candle fragrances. Don't panic: we are going to explain exactly how and why we use them.

But what does this rather intimidating acronym actually stand for? CMR is short for Carcinogenic, Mutagenic and Reprotoxic. Let's take a closer look.

What does CMR mean? The three hazards defined

• Carcinogenic: a chemical agent that can cause cancer.
• Mutagenic: a substance that can induce mutations in genetic material. Mutagenicity and carcinogenicity are two distinct toxicological properties, even though some substances present both hazards.
• Reprotoxic: a substance that can impair fertility or cause malformations in the unborn child.

The classification of CMR substances and the communication of their hazards are strictly regulated by European legislation. Depending on their concentration, their classification and the applicable rules, certain information must appear on the label or in the regulatory documentation.

This may sound alarming at first. Yet there is an essential distinction to be made: diluting a substance in the finished product lowers its concentration and can reduce exposure. On its own, however, dilution is not enough to determine the level of risk involved in using the candle.

Another important point:
not all CMRs are equal. They are classified into several categories according to the strength of the available evidence:

• 1A — known effect in humans;
• 1B — presumed effect, based on studies;
• 2 — suspected effect, not confirmed.

So we are going to explain what the presence of these substances means in practice, how the regulations control their concentration, and why their presence at low concentration does not automatically mean the candle poses a significant health risk. And we will look at what they really bring to the scent profile of your fragrances.

It's all about proportions

In toxicology, one fundamental principle sums it all up: “the dose makes the poison”. It is not the mere presence of a substance that determines the danger, but the quantity involved and how you are exposed to it.

To grasp why proportions matter so much, let's take an everyday example: bleach. Every household keeps some in the cupboard, and we all know how dangerous this cleaning product can be. The risk does not come from a CMR (bleach contains none), yet it is no less serious for that.

Now, the same bleach (sodium hypochlorite) used to treat swimming pool water becomes far less risky: that is why the hazard pictograms on your bottle are not displayed at the entrance to your local pool, thankfully! What makes all the difference is the dilution of the product in a large volume of water.

The same goes for our fragrances. When a CMR appears on an SDS, bear in mind that the figure refers to the proportion in the neat product, in other words the percentage of CMR relative to the total quantity of fragrance alone.

And in a scented candle, the usual fragrance load is 10% fragrance to 90% wax. This dilution reduces even further the share of potentially hazardous substances in your finished product.

Then there is the route of exposure: a candle releases an already diluted fragrance, slowly, into the volume of a room. That is a far cry from handling a pure concentrate directly. Dose and route of exposure are therefore two decisive factors in actual exposure.

A candle does not, however, behave like a simple fragrance diffuser. As it burns, heat and combustion transform some of its constituents and release them as gases or particles. Assessing exposure must therefore also take into account combustion emissions, how long the candle is used and how well the room is ventilated. That is exactly why our usage tips at the end of this article are anything but an afterthought.

What role does a CMR substance play in our fragrances?

Our fragrances rely heavily on natural substances. So it is common to find CMRs in them, and they often play a genuine role in the scent profile. Simply stripping them out would only impoverish the quality and richness of the fragrances.

Besides, CMRs are nothing out of the ordinary in the natural world. Did you know that apple pips and bitter almonds naturally contain cyanide? Nature is complex, and many natural raw materials contain molecules classified as CMR. Our fragrances are no different: a natural rose is a blend of complex molecules. The presence of such a compound is therefore not, in itself, a sign of a dangerous product. Our job is to get the dose just right so that only the magic of the fragrance comes through.

A telling example: some essential oils, organic or not, can naturally contain substances with toxicological properties of concern. That is why we advise against using essential oils in candles. Being natural is therefore not, on its own, a guarantee of safety.

CMRs in your candles: what is the real risk?

Let's give straight answers to the questions we are asked most often.

• Yes, some of our fragrances contain CMRs.
• No, their presence at low concentration is not, on its own, grounds for concluding that there is a significant health risk.

The level of risk depends on the substance in question, its concentration, the route and duration of exposure, and the conditions of use. That is precisely what we explain in detail below.

Exacting specifications

We work to a very strict set of specifications designed to minimise the use of CMR substances while preserving the best possible scent profile. When a substance falls outside our manufacturing criteria, we select raw materials that meet our formulation requirements and assess how they behave under the intended conditions of use, in order to replace or complement it. The aim is twofold: to keep any potential risks under control while offering you the best possible quality. That is the balance we strike: nature gives us olfactory inspiration, and science lets us characterise the substances we use more accurately, control their formulation and reduce the risks associated with their use.

Compliance within a strict framework

Beyond our own specifications, our fragrances fall within a strict European regulatory framework. The CLP Regulation governs the classification and labelling of substances, while the REACH Regulation covers their registration and evaluation across Europe.

Above all, safety does not rest on a mere promise but on official documents, which we make available to you for every fragrance:

• the safety data sheet (SDS), which provides the relevant regulatory information on composition, hazards and precautions for use;
• the IFRA certificate of conformity (International Fragrance Association), which states that the fragrance complies with the IFRA Standards applicable to the intended use and specifies the corresponding maximum use levels;
• the allergen list, invaluable for sensitive skin.

All of these are transparent references you can rely on with complete confidence. They do not, however, replace the safety assessment or the regulatory obligations that apply to your own finished product.

When a substance is reclassified: reformulation

A point that is often overlooked:
a classification is never final. At European level, ECHA (the European Chemicals Agency) continuously reassesses the available scientific data, and a molecule used for years without any particular classification regularly ends up reclassified as CMR. The molecule has not changed: our knowledge has moved on.

The consequence is very real: a change in the regulatory classification of a component can lead us to revisit a fragrance that would no longer meet our internal criteria. Not because its formula has changed, but because the regulatory status of one of its components has.

When that happens, we do not leave things as they are: we launch a reformulation. Our perfumers rework the formula to bring it back within our criteria, aiming to stay as close as possible to the original scent profile. This is also why a fragrance may change slightly over time: not as a commercial choice, but to remain compliant.

“Contains” or “CMR-free”: what it really means

Our fragrance product pages always tell you whether CMRs are present or not. But don't stop at that label alone: what matters most is the proportion of these substances. So there is no need to be alarmed straight away.

When we state “CMR-free”, it reflects our criteria and the statement provided by our perfumer. This CMR certificate is the document used to demonstrate the absence or presence of substances classified as CMR in a fragrance. It is not a regulatory requirement: perfumers issue it at their own discretion. We obtain it for every one of our fragrances and make it available to you.

An essential point follows from this: the fact that a mixture is not classified as CMR does not necessarily mean that every substance with an intrinsic CMR property is absent. A “CMR-free” claim must therefore be precisely defined and not confused with the CLP classification thresholds. When a substance is present in very small quantities, it may not be subject to disclosure requirements in the safety data sheet (SDS), depending on the applicable thresholds and rules. This is the case, for example, with our Orange blossom fragrance: the substance is indeed present, but in too small a proportion to appear on the SDS. Which can be confusing: the product page says “contains”, yet you will not find the detail on the SDS. Even so, we choose transparency and state it clearly.

A real-life classification example

To assess how hazardous chemical agents are, there are various CLP-compliant classification tables. They set out the thresholds or proportions above which a substance's hazard leads to the mixture being classified, triggering, among other things, the display of pictograms.

Let's look at what an extract from these tables shows. Here we take the example of category 2 reprotoxic substances, the ones most commonly found in candle fragrances.

For a component classified Repr. 2, the extract shown gives a value of 0.1% and a classification threshold for the mixture of ≥ 3%. For a component classified Lact (effects on or via lactation), the same value of 0.1% is given.

The key takeaway:
in the general case of a mixture containing a substance classified as Repr. 2, the applicable generic concentration limit is 3%. This value is not, however, a universal threshold: specific limits may apply to certain substances, and classification rules must be checked case by case.

In one of our compositions, we found the following data:

“Contains CMRs; where present as an indirect contribution, this contribution is technically unavoidable under good manufacturing practice.”

Three substances are listed, each with the share added to the formula marked “n.d.”:

• p-Cymene (CAS No. 99-87-6): 0.0020%;
• Estragole (methyl chavicol), classified CAR2 (CAS No. 140-67-0): 0.0039%;
• Delta-3-carene (CAS No. 13466-78-9): 0.0392%.

Two things stand out. First, that “n.d.” against all three substances: none of them was added to the formula. All of it comes from an indirect contribution of natural origin, in other words from molecules naturally present in the raw materials used. As the perfumer's statement says, this contribution is technically unavoidable, even with good manufacturing practice.

Second, the quantities: added together, these three substances make up 0.0451% of the fragrance concentrate, which, remember, is the undiluted product.

Let's go through the example step by step:

• the chosen fragrance does contain CMRs;
• none were added to the formula: their presence is an indirect contribution of natural origin, and technically unavoidable;
• they make up 0.0451% of the fragrance concentrate, which means just 0.00451% of the finished product at a 10% fragrance load;
• yet to reach the classification used as an example above, they would need to be present at 3% or more.

We also stay below 0.1%. This figure is not, however, a universal disclosure threshold: information requirements depend on the substance, its classification and the applicable regulatory provisions.

These concentrations are low and are not, in themselves, grounds for classifying the fragrance as reprotoxic. Nor, however, are they enough to establish that the risk of using the candle is zero or negligible: that also depends on the properties of the substances concerned, on exposure and on combustion emissions.

Our stance

Beyond the regulations, we want to be completely honest with you about where we stand.

Why we stand by a wide choice of fragrances

So we take a clear stance: we favour a huge choice of quality fragrances. Because, contrary to popular belief, a CMR is not necessarily a synthetic substance:

• some of these molecules are naturally present in raw materials used in perfumery;
• they are what naturally allows many fragrances to exist and reveal their full olfactory richness;
• removing them across the board would drastically impoverish the palette of fragrances we can offer you.

Rather than give up on these fragrances, we choose to keep them under strict control and to keep you clearly informed. We systematically state the possible presence of CMRs on every product page, going beyond the mandatory regulatory statements. Transparency by choice, so you can create with complete confidence.

Frequently asked questions

Is “CMR-free” a guarantee of a safer product?

Not necessarily. The “CMR-free” label only indicates the absence of one category of substances; it says nothing about the dose or the other components. What really determines the level of risk is the proportion of the substance and how the product is used. A fragrance containing a tiny trace of CMR, heavily diluted in a candle, can be more reassuring than a “CMR-free” product used in poor conditions.

CMRs, phthalates, allergens, endocrine disruptors: are they the same thing?

No, and it is a very common mix-up. They are different concepts, even if they sometimes overlap:

• CMRs are a regulatory category (Carcinogenic, Mutagenic, Reprotoxic);
• phthalates are a family of molecules, some suspected of endocrine effects, several of which are classified as CMR and are now banned — these are the ones associated with plastics and toys. In perfumery, only one is still permitted, under strict conditions: ethyl phthalate (DEP), which is not classified as CMR and is not considered hazardous under current regulations. It is therefore the only one that may be present in our fragrances;
• endocrine disruptors act on the hormonal system;
• allergens can cause skin or respiratory reactions.

A fragrance can perfectly well be “CMR-free” and still contain allergens, and vice versa. That is why you should never reduce a fragrance's safety to a single label. If you want to rule out CMRs and ethyl phthalate in one go, our CMR-free and ethyl-phthalate-free fragrances collection brings together fragrances with no substance classified as CMR and from which ethyl phthalate has been removed — a choice made for transparency, not a regulatory requirement.

Is a “CMR-free” fragrance completely harmless?

No fragrance, however carefully crafted, can claim to be completely harmless: a “CMR-free” product may still contain natural allergens. Real safety does not come from a promise, but from transparent documentation, namely the safety data sheet (SDS) and the allergen list, and from following the recommended usage rates.

Are CMRs dangerous even at very low doses?

Regulations are based on classification thresholds, which relate to the intrinsic hazard of substances rather than to an assessment of exposure. Below a certain proportion, a mixture is not classified, but that does not mean the risk in use is zero. That risk also depends on dilution (around 10% fragrance to 90% wax), combustion emissions, how long the candle burns and how well the room is ventilated.

Does a “CMR-free” fragrance burn better and produce less smoke?

That is a myth. Burn quality (a steady flame, no black smoke, no “mushrooming” on the wick) depends first and foremost on the wax, the wick, the fragrance load and the burning conditions (draughts, burn time). The presence or absence of CMRs has, in itself, no direct effect on any of this.

How can you actually check what a fragrance contains?

By relying on official documents rather than mere claims:

• the safety data sheet (SDS), which provides the relevant regulatory information on composition, hazards and precautions for use;
• the IFRA certificate of conformity, which states that the fragrance complies with the IFRA Standards applicable to the intended use and specifies the corresponding maximum use levels;
• an up-to-date CMR certificate confirming whether or not the fragrance contains CMRs;
• the allergen list, useful for sensitive skin.

These are the documents that let you create with confidence, far more than any stand-alone marketing claim.

Our tips for worry-free use

Formulation and conditions of use both play an important role in exposure to candle emissions. Here are the habits we recommend:

• air the room for around ten minutes after lighting your candle, then at regular intervals;
• trim the wick to about 5 mm before each burn: this keeps the flame lower and reduces smoke;
• make sure the wick is the right size, the key to a clean, even burn;
• we recommend not burning your candle for more than 2 hours at a time, especially in an enclosed space.

Finally, purely as a precautionary measure and not because of any proven danger, we recommend moderate use and good ventilation when young children or pregnant women are present for long periods.

In conclusion

Yes, CMRs can be dangerous, and we have no intention of downplaying that. But hazard and risk are not the same thing: European classification relates to the intrinsic hazard of a substance, while risk depends on concentration, exposure and conditions of use. That is the whole difference between a substance handled in its pure form and the same molecule present as a trace in a fragrance, itself diluted to around 10% in the wax — not forgetting that combustion also comes into the equation.

In some candle fragrances, substances classified as CMR may be naturally present in the raw materials used, and their presence is sometimes technically unavoidable: this is precisely what allows many fragrances to exist and unfold their full olfactory richness. Removing them on principle would impoverish the palette without guaranteeing a safer product.

That is why we take a clear stance: rather than give up on these fragrances, we keep them under strict control (regulatory thresholds, specifications, IFRA certificate and safety data sheet) and we systematically declare the possible presence of CMRs on every product page, going beyond the mandatory regulatory statements. And when a substance is reclassified at European level, we adapt to the regulations and launch a reformulation. Whereas a “CMR-free” label says nothing about the dose or the rest of the formula, transparent documentation gives you what you need to make a genuinely informed decision.

The bottom line:
it is not a claim on a label that protects you, but verifiable documents and usage rates followed to the letter. That is where we stand, so you can let your creativity run free, with complete peace of mind.

Sources

This article is based on the following regulations and reference bodies. We encourage you to consult them directly:

• CLP Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 — classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures, including generic and specific concentration limits (EUR-Lex).
• REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 — registration, evaluation and authorisation of chemical substances (EUR-Lex).
• ECHA — Classification under CLP — the European Chemicals Agency points out that classification is based on intrinsic hazard, not on an assessment of exposure.
• INRS — CMR chemical agents: key points — definitions and classification categories.
• IFRA — Standards library — maximum use levels of fragrance materials by type of use.