Some local perfume brands issued statements regarding the alcohol content of their products following a TikTok post that raised concerns about the issue.
The TikTok account @cosmeticsluv, which describes itself as a “pro-consumer” account, gained attention after posting a video claiming it had performed a “methanol analysis” on samples of local perfume brands.
Thes include Kathrina Wilder Fragrance, Father and Son and Scent Therapy PH, which the account claimed contained high levels of methanol for perfumes.
“Perfume should be art in a bottle, not a hidden health risk,” the account wrote on March 13.
@cosmeticsluv Perfume should be art in a bottle , not a hidden health risk. #fragrancetiktok #perfumetiktok #methanol #TransparencyWins ♬ Swear By It – Chris Alan Lee
The account also claimed last January that a product of VM Manufacturing Corporation likewise contained high levels of methanol.
Following the account’s recent post, some local perfume brands issued statements to address the concern.
Father and Son said that it is validating the claims and will get back to its patrons “as soon as possible.”
Scent Therapy issued a statement in late January addressing a similar issue.
“Our perfumes do not contain methanol. We use special denatured alcohol from a licensed supplier and all products are FDA registered. The ingredients used in our perfumes are printed in our boxes as required by the FDA. Please do not buy the fake version of our perfumes. They are not FDA approved,” it said.
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Kathrina Wilder Fragrance, meanwhile, has yet to issue a statement.
Other local perfumes also took to social media to assure their patrons amid concerns about methanol in their products.
These include Vestige21, Elnaris Perfumes, Perfume Dessert.
The owner of Parfums Astraux also said they will post the methanol testing certificate of their fragrances on their website.
A Facebook group dedicated to Filipino perfume lovers also urged the concerned brands to take the methanol allegations “seriously.”
“Verify the claims, conduct proper testing, and be transparent with your findings. This is not something to brush off or delay. In the first place, quality control and safety assurance should already be part of your core process, not something na inaantay pang mapansin ng iba,” Pinoy Fragheads Community said.
“Product safety is never optional, we do not tolerate this. If these claims turn out to be true, we challenge the brands involved to step up, own the issue, correct it, and commit to higher standards. Honesty and transparency will always build more trust than silence,” it added.
Methanol
Methanol is said to be “extremely toxic” when used as an ingredient in perfume, according to Elchemy, a chemical manufacturing and distribution company.
The company said that ethanol is “the only safe alcohol for perfumery.”
“Methanol causes blindness, organ damage, and death even in small amounts absorbed through skin,” Elchemy said in its website.
“10 mL methanol can cause blindness; 30 mL can be fatal,” it added.
“Methanol has no place in perfumery. Ever,” Elchemy said.
“Methanol causes blindness at doses as low as 10 mL and death at 30mL (1 fluid ounce). It absorbs readily through skin —meaning even topical application without ingestion can cause severe poisoning,” it added.
“The symptoms include headaches, dizziness, nausea, nervous system damage, liver and kidney failure, visual disturbances including permanent blindness, and potentially death,” the company said.
It added that methanol is used in antifreeze, industrial solvents, and fuel, and is “toxic via skin absorption, inhalation, or ingestion.”
Elchemy said it is “never acceptable for cosmetic or topical use,” stressing that ethanol should be the alcohol used in perfumery.
