Short answer
Fragrance suppliers provide several documents, and each answers a different question. A safety data sheet (SDS) describes a material's hazards and how to handle, store and dispose of it safely. A specification says what the product is supposed to be — its identity and the acceptable range of its properties. A certificate of analysis (CoA) reports what one particular lot was measured to be. An IFRA certificate gives maximum use levels by product category, and an allergen statement lists labelable allergens and their levels. File each against the material, dated, and replace them when they change.
The documents side by side
| Document | Answers | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Safety data sheet (SDS) | What hazards does it have, and how is it handled safely? | Lab safety, storage, transport, hazard labels on your own containers |
| Specification | What should this product be? | Identity, acceptance of deliveries, consistency between lots |
| Certificate of analysis (CoA) | What was this lot measured to be? | Checking a lot against the specification; traceability |
| IFRA certificate | How much may be used in each product category? | Setting the maximum dosage of a compound |
| Allergen statement | Which labelable allergens does it contain, and how much? | Label declarations, safety assessment |
Safety data sheets
In the US, the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard requires chemical manufacturers, importers and distributors to provide SDSs for hazardous chemicals in a standard 16-section format aligned with the UN's Globally Harmonized System (GHS). The EU's REACH regulation sets a similar format, and the UK and many other countries follow the same model.
For a perfumer, the most-used sections are:
- Section 2, hazard identification: classification, pictograms and hazard statements — such as flammability, skin irritation or skin sensitization.
- Section 3, composition: the hazardous components and, often, CAS numbers.
- Sections 7 and 8, handling, storage and exposure controls: ventilation, gloves, eye protection, storage temperature.
- Section 9, physical and chemical properties: flash point, density, solubility.
An SDS is about occupational and transport safety. It is not a consumer safety assessment and does not tell you whether a material is safe in a perfume at a given level — that is what IFRA limits and a product safety assessment address. How SDS information is used day to day is covered in perfume lab safety basics.
Specifications and certificates of analysis
A specification typically lists the material's identity, appearance, odor, and measured properties with acceptable ranges — for example relative density, refractive index, optical rotation, and for some materials the content of key components by gas chromatography. A CoA reports the actual values for a lot. Comparing a CoA with the specification tells you whether a lot is within range; comparing CoAs across lots tells you how much the material varies. That is especially useful when a lot smells different — see how to document raw material supplier and lot changes.
IFRA certificates and allergen statements
For compounds and fragrance oils, the IFRA certificate states which amendment the supplier checked against and the maximum percentage of the oil in a finished product for each category. Read it with the guidance in IFRA certificates of conformity. The allergen statement lists the labelable allergens in the material and their concentrations, which you need to calculate label declarations. Make sure it reflects the current regulatory list for your market — the EU's list grew substantially in 2023.
Filing and keeping documents current
- File every document against the specific material and supplier, never in a general folder.
- Record each document's date and version, and for IFRA certificates, the amendment.
- When a supplier issues a revised SDS, replace the old one and note what changed.
- Request updated IFRA certificates when a new amendment is notified.
- Keep CoAs per lot, linked to the lot record.
- Review documents for materials you rely on at least yearly.
Where those documents sit within a complete material record is described in the raw material documentation guide.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an SDS for my own finished perfume?
Finished cosmetic products intended for consumers are generally outside SDS requirements, but a concentrate or fragrance oil you sell to businesses may need one. Check the rules for what you supply and to whom.
The SDS says a material is a skin sensitizer. Can I use it?
Many fragrance materials are classified as sensitizers, and many are used within limits set by the IFRA Standards. The classification tells you to handle it with care in the lab; the limits tell you how much may be in a product.
Written and reviewed by the RUŌOD Lab team. This article is general education about perfume formulation and record-keeping; it is not legal, regulatory or safety advice, and the examples are illustrations, not validated commercial formulas. How we write and check these guides.