About Our SDS Documents

Updated August 2026 · Regulatory reference

A Safety Data Sheet tells you how to store, ship, handle, and respond to an accident with the pure, undiluted fragrance oil. An IFRA 51 Regulatory Data Sheet tells you the maximum percentage of that oil you may use in each finished product category. Neither document tells you how much to use for scent performance—that is a formulation decision. Every example below is taken from the live SDS and IFRA 51 Regulatory Data Sheet for our fragrance oil SUNKISS.

Key Takeaways

• An SDS describes the hazards of the pure, undiluted oil for storage, transport, handling, and emergency response. It does not describe your finished candle, soap, or lotion.
• Hazard codes on an SDS are concentration-based, so plant-based oils carry them too—the codes come from naturally occurring constituents at full purity.
• An IFRA 51 Regulatory Data Sheet sets the maximum use level per product category. IFRA 51 uses 12 categories, and several split into lettered subcategories that each carry their own limit.
• Neither document recommends a working dosage. Use the IFRA maximum as your ceiling and set the working rate from your base and scent-throw target.

What Is a Safety Data Sheet?

An SDS (Safety Data Sheet) is a globally standardized document used to communicate hazards for a pure, undiluted material. It is required for storage, transport, handling, and emergency response—not for evaluating the safety of your finished product.

Our SDS follow OSHA Hazard Communication Standards, meaning first responders can quickly understand exactly how to handle the raw material if a spill, fire, or accident occurs. SDS hazard statements are concentration-based, and even water or citrus oils can trigger warnings at high purity levels.

The two documents answer two different questions, and mixing them up is the most common reason a compliance file comes back short:

Why Do Our SDS Documents Look More Detailed?

We use full mixture analysis. This means every raw material in a fragrance—such as mandarin essential oil—is broken down into all of its naturally occurring chemical constituents. Many companies do not do this; instead, they only list broad materials or use high solvent loads that dilute constituents below hazard thresholds.

Our approach is intentionally transparent. It may make the SDS look more technical, but it provides a more complete and accurate representation of the materials.

How Do You Read the SUNKISS SDS?

Here is the SDS for SUNKISS:

Download the SUNKISS SDS

Section 2: Hazard Identification

Section 2 contains short hazard codes such as:

• H226 – Flammable liquid and vapor
• H304 – May be fatal if swallowed and enters airways
• H315 – Causes skin irritation
• H317 – May cause an allergic skin reaction
• H400 – Very toxic to aquatic life

These reflect the pure oil only. They do not describe the behavior or safety of a finished candle, perfume, soap, or lotion.

Section 3: Composition/Ingredients

For SUNKISS, all the ingredients listed are naturally occurring chemical components of citrus essential oils. Nothing synthetic. Nothing added. This is normal for plant-based oils.

How Should You Handle Concentrated Fragrance Oils?

Pure fragrance oils are concentrated materials. Professionals follow these protocols:

• Wear gloves when handling undiluted oils.
• Avoid direct skin contact to prevent temporary irritation.
• Use proper ventilation when evaluating or blending.
• Store tightly sealed, away from heat and sunlight.
• Keep away from open flames due to potential low flashpoints.
• Clean spills immediately with soap and water.
• Use compatible containers (glass, aluminum, HDPE).

These practices align with standard protocol in professional fragrance labs and manufacturing facilities.

What Does an IFRA 51 Regulatory Data Sheet Tell You?

An IFRA 51 Regulatory Data Sheet shows the maximum safe usage levels for a fragrance across the 12 IFRA product categories (perfume, lotion, shampoo, laundry, candles, etc.). It is based on scientific safety assessments by IFRA and RIFM research.

Several of those categories are split into lettered subcategories, and each subcategory carries its own limit. The SUNKISS certificate lists 5A, 5B, 5C and 5D; 6A, 6B and 6D; 7A and 7B; 10A and 10B; and 11A and 11B. Reading the number alone is not enough—on that certificate SUNKISS is capped at 18% in a body lotion (Category 5A) but 3.76% in a baby cream (Category 5D).

Here is the IFRA 51 Regulatory Data Sheet for SUNKISS:

Download the SUNKISS IFRA 51 Regulatory Data Sheet

How Do IFRA Categories Work?

IFRA Categories range from 1 (lip products) to 12 (candles & non-skin products). When a product spans multiple uses, you must use the most restrictive category.

The table below pairs each category with the products it covers and the dosage our formulators typically start from. These are starting points, not IFRA limits: your ceiling is the maximum printed on the certificate for the oil you are actually using.

Typical dosages are general starting points; your working rate depends on the base, scent-throw target, and the oil’s IFRA Category maximum in its RDS. Source: Stock Fragrance fragrance oil calculator.

To find the right category for a product you are making, use our IFRA category lookup tool, then check that category against the certificate for your oil. IFRA documentation is posted on every product page under the Documentation tab, and additional documents can be requested at any time.

Frequently Asked Questions

In Summary

SDS and IFRA documents serve different but complementary purposes. SDS documentation covers safe handling of pure materials; IFRA documentation defines safe usage levels in finished products. When read together, they provide a clear, complete picture of fragrance safety.

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