Rethinking our ingredients

Lyral is a synthetic fragrance ingredient commonly used to create floral notes. But with growing evidence of rising levels of allergic reactions, we decided back in 2017 to stop using Lyral in all our fragrances two years before the Cosmetics Regulation prohibited them.

These two ingredients are used for their antibacterial properties. They’ve been declared safe by expert bodies around the world, but some people prefer not to use them. After we found alternatives that provide the same benefits, we decided we didn’t need them and phased them out in 2017.

Phthalates are a family of chemicals used to increase the flexibility and durability of plastics and are often used in packaging materials. We don’t use them in the making of our products, but because phthalates can occur during the manufacturing process, sometimes tiny traces — though well within safety levels — may still show up in our products. However, these are at microscopic levels – well below safety limits. 

In line with our own standards of avoiding phthalates however, we do not use any phthalates as solvents to mix fragrance ingredients. Instead, we use different methods to bring together fragrance ingredients. 

Lilial, sometimes referred to as BMHCA, is a very common fragrance ingredient used for its lily-like characteristics. Based on safety evaluations and risk assessments, Lilial/BMHCA has been defined as safe to use by the International Fragrance Association up to certain carefully controlled levels. We want to give you total peace of mind — so to emphasise our commitment to safe and caring beauty, Dove has decided to phase the ingredient out of all products.

We’ve always used types of parabens that have been proven safe — Dove products take care of your skin and don’t use harmful skincare ingredients. But we also know that many people choose paraben-free products when they can. So, the vast majority of our products are already formulated to be paraben-free, and we’re working on the rest.

Diemethylhydantoin (DMDMH) is a safe and effective preservative that has been widely used in cosmetic products since the mid 1980s. It’s known as a formaldehyde ‘donor’ because it releases very low levels of formaldehyde over time, keeping products fresh and stopping them from spoiling. In fact, all healthy human, animal and plant cells produce and use formaldehyde at levels similar to those released in preservatives. 

The independent Cosmetics Ingredient Review Expert Panel in the USA has concluded that the ingredient is safe for use. However, to rule out any concerns you may have, all Formaldehyde donors are being phased out of Dove products.