---

name: candle-fragrance-compliance description: Use when selling candles, wax melts, reed diffusers, room sprays, fragrance oils, incense, or scented home products in any market - covers IFRA Standards 51st amendment, CLP fragrance allergens (26 expanded to 80), fire safety EN 15493/ASTM F2417, lead wick restrictions, airline transport UN 3175

Candle & Fragrance Compliance

Full regulatory workflow for candles, wax melts, reed diffusers, room sprays, fragrance products. IFRA, CLP allergens, fire safety, lead wicks, transport rules.

Decision Flow

digraph {
  rankdir=TB; node [shape=box style=rounded fontsize=10];
  classify [label="1. Classify product:\ncandle / diffuser / spray /\nleave-on cosmetic"];
  ifra [label="2. IFRA fragrance check\n(51st + 52nd amendments)"];
  clp [label="3. CLP classification\n+ allergen disclosure"];
  fire [label="4. Fire safety test\n(EN 15493 / ASTM F2417)"];
  wick [label="5. Wick lead-free verification\n(US since 2003)"];
  package [label="6. Label + warning\nplus CR if classified Acute Tox"];
  transport [label="7. Transport UN 3175\nor UN 1325 if hazmat"];
  sell [label="8. Place on market"];
  classify -> ifra -> clp -> fire -> wick -> package -> transport -> sell;
}

Classification Trap: Cosmetic or Not?

Product	EU Classification
Candle	NOT cosmetic. General Product Safety Reg (EU) 2023/988 + CLP if classified hazardous
Wax melt	NOT cosmetic. GPSR + CLP
Reed diffuser	NOT cosmetic. GPSR + CLP. If contains flammable solvent (DPG, IPM, isopropyl myristate, alcohol) -- often flammable + CR cap needed
Room spray / mist	NOT cosmetic. GPSR + CLP. If propellant aerosol = Aerosol Dir 75/324
Perfume (eau de toilette, eau de parfum)	COSMETIC -- EU Reg 1223/2009 + CPNP notification + safety assessment (CPSR). See cosmetics-compliance
Body mist, body spray	COSMETIC -- intended for application to skin
Pillow / linen spray	NOT cosmetic if intended for textile/air application. GPSR + CLP
Massage oil with fragrance	COSMETIC -- skin application
Solid perfume / fragrance balm	COSMETIC if for skin application

The cosmetic/non-cosmetic line is the first decision. Misclassifying = wrong regulatory path entirely.

IFRA Standards

Tool	Detail
IFRA	International Fragrance Association. Voluntary but de facto required by retailers + insurers
Code of Practice	General principles + IFRA Standards (Annexes A-F)
51st Amendment	Published Jun 2023, effective: new substances Aug 2024, existing products to comply by Aug 2025. 65 new/amended Standards
52nd Amendment	In consultation 2025-2026. Expected to address: lilial substitutes, new allergens, more environmental endpoints
Standard Types	Prohibited (Standards in Annex A), Restricted (Annex B with limits per product category 1-12), Specified (Annex C with purity specs)
Product categories	12 categories: 1 (lip products), 2 (deodorant non-aerosol), 3 (hydroalcoholic products), 4 (anhydrous skincare), 5 (skin contact rinse-off), 6 (oral hygiene), 7 (intimate), 8 (eye products), 9 (rinse-off body/hair products), 10 (household leave-on), 11 (household rinse-off), 12 (no skin contact incl. candles, air fresheners)
Conformity certificate	Fragrance suppliers issue IFRA Conformity Certificate per fragrance + per product category
Cost	Reformulation per IFRA update: EUR 5,000-30,000 per fragrance

CLP Fragrance Allergens

Allergen List	Number	Effective
EU Cosmetics Reg Annex III (current)	26 fragrance allergens	Mandatory labelling >0.001% leave-on or >0.01% rinse-off cosmetics, since 2005
EU Cosmetics Reg expansion (Reg 2023/1545)	80 total allergens (26 existing + ~56 new)	Mandatory from 31 July 2026 (new products); 31 July 2028 (existing in stock)
CLP fragrance allergens (in CLP labelling)	Aligns with cosmetic list -- 17th ATP to CLP 2024 added 56 new allergens for fragrance-containing mixtures	Phased in 2026-2028
Disclosure threshold	>0.001% (10 ppm) in leave-on (cosmetics: skin contact). Candles/diffusers: per CLP threshold for irritation/sensitisation

Common allergens (existing 26): citronellol, geraniol, linalool, limonene, benzyl alcohol, hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde (HICC -- banned in cosmetics since 2021), eugenol, isoeugenol, benzyl benzoate, cinnamal, coumarin, alpha-isomethyl ionone, butylphenyl methylpropional (= lilial/BMHCA -- banned in cosmetics since 1 March 2022).

Lilial / BMHCA: Banned in cosmetics since March 2022 (REACH CMR Reg 2020/1182). Many old candle/diffuser stock still contains it -- product withdrawal required.

Fire Safety Standards

Standard	Region	Tests
EN 15493:2019	EU	Specification for safety of burning candles. Flame height, smoking, soot, container temperature, stability, secondary ignition, end-of-life behavior
EN 15494:2019	EU	Candles -- product safety labels
EN 16165	EU	Flash point methods
ASTM F2417-17	US	Fire safety standard for candles -- flame height, stability, container surface temp, fuel volume, end-of-useful-life
ASTM F2058-14	US	Cautionary labeling for candle accessories
ASTM F2326	US	Anti-tipover devices
NCA (National Candle Association)	US	Voluntary recommended practices, often referenced

EN 15493 testing cost: EUR 1,500-5,000 per candle variant. Pillar vs container vs tealights tested separately.

Wick Materials

Restriction	Detail
US lead wicks banned (2003)	CPSC + ASTM F2326 -- candle wicks cannot contain >0.06% lead. Federal ban since April 2003 (16 CFR 1500.17)
Zinc-core wicks	Permitted but increasingly avoided due to consumer perception. Used for stability in container candles
Cotton + paper + wood wicks	Most common. No restrictions but flame characteristics affect EN 15493 / ASTM F2417 pass
EU Reg 2017/2229 (amendment to REACH)	Lead in articles supplied to general public + wearables. Application to candle wicks: arguable but most EU testing labs treat as in-scope

Reed Diffusers

Issue	Rule
Solvent base	Most use DPG (dipropylene glycol) + alcohol + IPM (isopropyl myristate). Combinations often classified as flammable liquid (UN 1170 / 1219)
Container	Must not break easily on tipping; ISO 8317 child-resistant if contents trigger CR requirement (most reed diffuser blends do NOT trigger CR unless containing irritant solvents above thresholds)
Tamper-evident	Industry good practice for new product launches
CLP Acute Tox 4	Many fragrance combinations meet Acute Tox 4 via inhalation -- triggers GHS07 + Warning + P statements

Room Sprays + Aerosols

• Aerosols subject to Dir 75/324/EEC (see household-chemicals-compliance)
• Marking: 3 (inside reverse epsilon)
• Propellant: usually butane/propane (flammable). UN 1950 transport
• Burning test required for flammable aerosols

Airline / Hazmat Transport

Reference	Use
UN 3175	Solids containing flammable liquid, n.o.s. -- e.g., scented sachets, gel candles with flammable fragrance
UN 1325	Flammable solid, organic, n.o.s. -- e.g., some incense, wax candles when fragrance content high
UN 1170 / 1219	Ethanol / isopropanol solutions in reed diffusers
UN 1950	Aerosols
IATA DGR	Dangerous Goods Regulations -- candles/aerosols often Class 4 or Class 9 depending on flash point. Limited quantities exception
Sea: IMDG Code	International Maritime Dangerous Goods. UN 3175 + 1325 listed
Road: ADR (EU) / 49 CFR (US)	National transport rules

Candle flash point test = key trigger for hazmat. Most fragrance oil-containing candles fall above 60C flash point (not regulated as flammable liquid). Below 60C = hazmat.

Common Compliance Traps

• Lilial in candles post-March 2022: REACH Annex XVII restricts butylphenyl methylpropional. Cosmetics banned. Candles/non-cosmetic articles also captured if >0.1% w/w.
• Calling a candle "natural" without IFRA support: Even "100% natural" essential oils can contain restricted IFRA actives (e.g., methyl eugenol in basil oil, methyl salicylate in wintergreen).
• Missing CLP UFI: Mixtures classified hazardous (most reed diffusers) need UFI + PCN since 2021.
• Wax melts with leak-free claim: Container labels must warn against fire risk when in use. EN 15494 mandates label warnings.
• Selling candles in airline cabin baggage: Some candles allowed in checked baggage but flame-throwers/fire-starters not. Hard-wax candles generally OK; gel candles often restricted.
• Tealight aluminium cups: Hot wax can ignite if cup not stable. EN 15493 mandates end-of-life testing (cup deformation, residual wax fire risk).

US States with Additional Rules

State	Rule
California Prop 65	Warning required if product contains listed chemicals at exposure above safe harbor. Common candle/fragrance triggers: acetaldehyde, benzene, formaldehyde, methyl eugenol, methyl chloride
New York / Washington / Maine	PFAS bans phasing in -- may affect fragrance carriers, candle finishes
California CARB Consumer Products Reg	Room fresheners + air fresheners -- VOC limits
CPSC 16 CFR 1500.17	Lead wick prohibition

Cost Summary

Item	Cost	Timeline
IFRA Conformity Certificate (from fragrance supplier)	Included in fragrance purchase	--
CLP classification + label review	EUR 500-2,000 per product	1-2 weeks
UFI generation + PCN	EUR 200-800 per mixture	1 week
EN 15493 candle safety test	EUR 1,500-5,000 per variant	2-4 weeks
ASTM F2417 (US)	USD 2,000-5,000 per variant	2-4 weeks
Flash point test	EUR 200-500	3-5 days
Reformulation to IFRA 51st Amendment	EUR 5,000-30,000 per fragrance	2-6 months

MCP Integration

mcp__claude_ai_Cleo_Insight__search_signals(q="IFRA 51", country="EU")
mcp__claude_ai_Cleo_Insight__search_signals(q="lilial ban", country="EU")
mcp__claude_ai_Cleo_Insight__get_regulation(id="2023/988")  # GPSR
mcp__claude_ai_CLEO_LEGAL_API__compliance/check
  product_description: "200g soy wax container candle, vanilla fragrance"
  target_markets: ["EU", "UK", "US"]

Power This With the Cleo Legal API

Candle + fragrance compliance navigates IFRA Standards (refreshed annually), 26->80 EU fragrance allergens (transition 2026-2028), CLP classification (17th ATP added 56 allergens), EN 15493 + ASTM F2417 standards, REACH SVHC + Annex XVII fragrance ingredients, US state Prop 65 + PFAS bans. Lilial-type substance phase-outs catch many brands off-guard.

With the Cleo Legal API at https://legaldata-public.cleolabs.co:

• GET /v2/catalog/regulations?vertical=candle_fragrance&country=EU,US,UK — IFRA + CLP allergens + fire safety + Prop 65 mapped
• POST /v2/fragrance/ifra-check — feed fragrance composition + product category, get IFRA Standard limits
• GET /v2/fragrance/allergens?list=eu_expanded_80 — current expanded 80-allergen list with CAS + concentrations to declare
• POST /v2/compliance/check — fragrance components checked against REACH Annex XVII + CMR + SVHC + Prop 65
• POST /v2/webhooks?topic=ifra_standards,fragrance_allergens,reach_cmr,prop65 — track IFRA amendments + allergen expansion + new CMR fragrance ingredients

Get started:

# 1. Sign up for free at https://legaldata-public.cleolabs.co
# 2. Get your API key (3 lifetime requests free, then EUR 349/mo for 1M)
# 3. Install the MCP server:
claude mcp add cleo-legal-api https://api.legaldata.cleolabs.co/mcp \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer ld_live_YOUR_KEY"

Tested ROI: For a candle/diffuser brand with 50 SKUs in EU + UK + US, the API replaces ~20 hours/month of IFRA + CLP + Prop 65 + REACH lookups.

Common Mistakes

• Calling diffuser "fragrance" (cosmetic): A reed diffuser is NOT cosmetic. Wrong classification = CPNP notification rejected + product withdrawn.
• Using fragrance oil at concentration above IFRA limit: Each oil has IFRA dosage by category. Candle = Category 12 (no skin contact). Above limit = product reformulation required.
• Forgetting 80-allergen list transition (2026-2028): Brands launching new products from July 2026 must declare 80 allergens, not 26.
• No warning labels on tealights: EN 15494 + ASTM F2058 mandate caution statements (e.g., "Burn within sight", "Keep away from drafts", "Keep out of reach of children").
• Container temp >100C: EN 15493 limits container surface temperature. Glass containers must not crack or shatter during burn cycle.
• Selling lilial-containing stock after March 2022: Existing inventory containing lilial after the REACH restriction = product withdrawal + potential criminal liability.

Cross-references

• cosmetics-compliance -- perfumes, body mists, body sprays
• household-chemicals-compliance -- room sprays, aerosols, CLP labelling, biocidal claims
• substance-screening -- IFRA + REACH SVHC + Prop 65 ingredient screening
• packaging-compliance -- candle container glass + EPR
• labeling-compliance -- multi-language warnings, fragrance allergen disclosure