Why I chose to leave fragrance out of Shade sunscreen

When I started Shade, I spent a lot of time thinking about what shouldn’t go into a sun cream - just as much as what should.

Fragrance was one of the first things I ruled out.

Not because it’s trendy to say “fragrance-free”, but because once you really look into it, it becomes hard to justify including it at all - especially in a product designed for real sun exposure, when your skin is actively responding and adapting to its environment.

The problem with “fragrance”

“Fragrance” (or parfum) sounds harmless. Almost reassuring.

But in reality, it’s a catch-all term that can represent dozens - sometimes hundreds - of undisclosed chemicals. Brands don’t have to tell you what’s actually in that blend, which means you’re applying something to your skin without full transparency.

That didn’t sit right with me.

If I can’t clearly explain why an ingredient is there, and what it’s doing for your skin, then it doesn’t belong in our formula.

It doesn’t help your skin - at all

This is the part that really matters.

Fragrance doesn’t improve SPF.
It doesn’t protect your skin.
It doesn’t support your skin barrier.

It’s there purely for the experience.

And that raises a simple question: why take on extra risk for something that adds no real benefit?

Your skin is designed to respond to sunlight

This is something I feel strongly about.

Your skin isn’t passive - it’s intelligent. With sensible, gradual sun exposure, your body responds by producing melanin, its own natural defence mechanism against overexposure.

Sunlight also plays a wider role in supporting overall wellbeing - helping regulate hormones and biological rhythms.

The issue isn’t sunlight itself. It’s too much, too quickly, without protection.

And that’s exactly where sun cream should come in: not to block the sun entirely, but to support your skin when exposure goes beyond what it can comfortably handle.

The sensitivity issue (that most people underestimate)

Fragrance is one of the most common causes of skin irritation in cosmetics.

I’ve seen it time and time again - people who think they don’t have sensitive skin, until suddenly they do.

Conditions like eczema and rosacea are especially vulnerable, but you don’t need to have a diagnosed condition to react. With repeated exposure, skin can become sensitised over time.

That means a product you’ve used for years can suddenly start causing:

• Redness
• Stinging
• Itching
• Flare-ups you can’t quite explain

Once that happens, it’s difficult to reverse.

Allergies aren’t immediate - and that’s the problem

Fragrance is also a major trigger for allergic contact dermatitis.

What makes this tricky is that it doesn’t always show up straight away. You might not react the first few times - or even the first few months.

But over time, your immune system can start to recognise certain fragrance compounds as irritants. And once that switch flips, even small amounts can cause a reaction.

That’s not a risk I was willing to build into a product meant for repeated use.

Sunlight + fragrance = an unnecessary variable

When your skin is exposed to sunlight, it’s already actively adapting - producing melanin and adjusting to UV levels.

Adding fragrance into that equation introduces an unnecessary and unpredictable variable.

Some fragrance compounds can become more reactive in UV light, increasing the risk of irritation or photoallergic responses - especially during longer periods outdoors.

If the goal is to support your skin during sun exposure, adding potential triggers simply doesn’t make sense.

So, are fragrances “toxic”?

I think this is where the conversation often gets a bit extreme.

Not all fragrance ingredients are inherently harmful. But some are known irritants. Some have raised concerns around hormone disruption. And many simply haven’t been fully studied in the context of long-term, repeated exposure - especially in combinations.

For me, it comes back to this: if it’s not necessary, why include it?

Why Shade is fragrance-free

When we developed Shade, the goal was simple:
create a premium quality sun cream that people could rely on when they actually need it - without second-guessing it.

We don’t believe in telling people to wear sunscreen every single day, regardless of context. In many situations, it’s simply unnecessary.

But when you are spending extended time in the sun, your sun cream should support your skin - without introducing avoidable risks.

Removing fragrance helps us:

• Reduce the risk of irritation and allergic reactions
• Make the formula suitable for sensitive and reactive skin
• Keep our ingredient list focused and transparent
• Avoid unnecessary complexity

It’s not about being minimal. It’s about being intentional.

The bottom line

Sunlight, in the right amounts, is something your body knows how to work with.

But when you need added protection, your sun cream should be as supportive - and as uncomplicated - as possible.

Fragrance doesn’t help your skin do its job.

So we leave it out.