Short answer
Antioxidants such as BHT and tocopherol slow the reaction of fragrance materials with air, which causes off-notes, discoloration and, for some materials, stronger sensitizers; UV absorbers protect a perfume in clear glass from light. They are used in small amounts, are ingredients like any other — recorded in the formula, assessed for safety and declared on the label — and are regulated in the EU: BHT is capped at 0.8% in products such as perfume, and benzophenone-3 used only to protect a product at 0.5%. Many raw materials already contain an antioxidant from the supplier. Add one to a finished perfume only when a stability test shows you need it, and try packaging and fresh materials first.
What they protect against
Oxidation
Oxygen in the headspace and dissolved in the perfume slowly attacks terpenes, aldehydes and other unsaturated materials. The result is a flatter or sour smell, color change, and — for materials such as limonene and linalool — oxidation products that are more potent skin sensitizers than the fresh material. That is why oxidized raw materials are a safety issue as well as a quality one (fragrance raw material shelf life). IFRA advises relying on supplier information or your own peroxide value measurements to identify materials, such as some essential oils, that need careful quality control.
Light
Ultraviolet and visible light drive their own reactions, especially in clear glass on a shop shelf: colors fade or darken, dyes change (adding color to perfume), and some materials degrade. Vanillin, indole and many naturals are sensitive (vanillin in perfumery).
The materials used
| Material | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) | Synthetic antioxidant | The most common antioxidant in fragrance; often already present in raw materials. EU limits apply (below). |
| Tocopherol (vitamin E) | Antioxidant of natural origin | Used where a natural-origin antioxidant is preferred; check it dissolves clearly in your perfume. |
| UV absorbers of the benzophenone type and other UV filters | Light protection for the product | Several are regulated as UV filters in the EU, with limits and conditions; benzophenone-3 is limited to 0.5% when used only to protect the product. |
Supplier specifications and certificates of analysis often state that a material "contains BHT" or tocopherol at a stated level; record it, because it travels into your perfume and onto your label. See safety data sheets and specifications.
EU and UK rules
- BHT. Regulation (EU) 2022/2195 added BHT to Annex III of the Cosmetics Regulation with maximum concentrations of 0.001% in mouthwash, 0.1% in toothpaste and 0.8% in other leave-on and rinse-off products, which include perfume. The Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety had considered BHT safe at those levels. Great Britain adopted corresponding limits in its own regulation.
- Benzophenone-3. Regulation (EU) 2022/1176 set limits by product type, including 0.5% in products where it is used only to protect the formulation, and exempted such use at 0.5% or less from the "Contains Benzophenone-3" label statement. Which line applies to a particular perfume is a question for your safety assessor.
- Other UV filters. UV filters are listed with their own maximum concentrations and conditions in Annex VI of the Cosmetics Regulation; check the entry for any you consider.
These limits are far above the amounts normally used to stabilize a fragrance, but you must count every source — the antioxidant already in your raw materials plus any you add — when you check them.
Declaring them
An antioxidant or UV absorber added to the finished perfume is an ingredient and appears in the ingredient list in markets that require one, under its INCI name (for example "BHT" or "Tocopherol"). Whether an antioxidant carried in by a fragrance material must be declared separately depends on the market's rules on ingredients and incidental substances; the safe default is to know the amount and ask your assessor. See perfume ingredient labeling.
When to add one, and when not
Work through these before adding anything:
- Fresh, well-stored materials. Oxidized inputs cannot be rescued by an antioxidant added later.
- Packaging. Colored or coated glass, a carton, and filling with little headspace reduce light and air exposure (perfume packaging components).
- A stability test with and without. Make two versions, identical except for the stabilizer, and store both in the final packaging under light and heat beside dark, cool controls. If the version without stabilizer is acceptable, you do not need it. The test plan is in perfume stability testing.
- The assessor's view. Any addition is a new ingredient for the safety assessment.
Do not describe an antioxidant as a preservative: it does not stop microbial growth. If you make "natural" claims, BHT works against them; tocopherol may suit better, subject to the rules in natural perfume claims.
Recording them
- Add the stabilizer as a material, with its supplier, lot and documents, and enter it in the formula by weight — usually as a dilution, because the amounts are small and need accurate weighing (how to dilute aroma chemicals).
- In each raw material's record, note any antioxidant it contains and at what level.
- Keep the stability evidence that justified the decision with the formula version.
Stability is one of the quality steps in a small lab's routine; see how to organize a perfume lab.
Sources
- EUR-Lex — Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/2195 (BHT and other substances, Annex III); checked October 10, 2026 (link format; limits confirmed from published summaries).
- EUR-Lex — Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/1176 (benzophenone-3 and octocrylene); checked October 10, 2026 (link format; limits confirmed from published summaries).
- EUR-Lex — Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Annexes III and VI; checked October 10, 2026 (link format).
- IFRA — Using the Standards, on oxidation and peroxide values; checked October 10, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Will an antioxidant stop my perfume changing color?
It slows color changes caused by oxidation. It does not stop Schiff-base formation or every light-driven change; packaging and formula choices usually matter more.
My limonene says "stabilized with tocopherol". Is that enough?
It protects the material in its container. Once diluted in your perfume, the amount is much smaller; whether the finished perfume needs more is what the stability test answers.
Is BHT safe?
The EU's scientific committee considered it safe at the levels now set in law, which is why those limits exist. Your safety assessor considers it as part of the whole 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.