Why You Should Understand SDS, IFRA, ALLERGENS & CLP
Why You Should Understand SDS, IFRA, Allergens & CLP 📄⚠️
If you are making products to sell in the UK, these documents are not optional extras. They are essential, legal and form the basics of running a compliant business. Understanding them protects you, your customers and your business.
SDS – Safety Data Sheet
An SDS explains the hazards of a raw material (such as a fragrance oil), how to handle it safely, how to store it, first aid measures and how to dispose of it correctly.
You need an SDS for:
✔️ Your own safety and anyone working with you
✔️ Risk assessments
✔️ Trading Standards inspections
✔️ Insurance purposes
IFRA Certificate
This document sets the maximum safe usage levels for a fragrance oil across different product types.
You need an IFRA certificate to:
✔️ Know how much fragrance you can legally and safely use
✔️ Ensure cosmetic and home fragrance products are compliant
✔️ Support your CPSR or CLP calculations
Allergen Information – So Important
Certain fragrance components must be declared on labels if they exceed their allowed limits.
You need allergen information to:
✔️ Label products correctly
✔️ Protect customers with sensitivities or allergies
✔️ Keep your paperwork and labels aligned and up to date
CLP Documents (Classification, Labelling & Packaging)
These are required for home fragrance products such as wax melts, candles, diffusers and room sprays.
You need CLP documents to:
✔️ Create correct hazard labels
✔️ Stay compliant with UK regulations
✔️ Avoid fines, enforcement action, or product removal by Trading Standards
Why This All Matters
These documents show that you’ve taken the right steps to run a compliant business. They protect you, your customers and your livelihood.
Missing, outdated, or “guessed” paperwork is where problems start—and once one issue is found, more often follow.
Where to Find Your Documents
All required documentation is available in the supporting files on your fragrance oil supplier’s website.
📌 Always download and save them into your business folders at the point of purchase
📌 You can also print and keep hard copies
📌 Documents can change due to regulation updates or reformulations, so it’s wise to check with your supplier from time to time—especially if your documents are old
✨ This is about keeping your business compliant so you can create and sell with confidence.
What’s Required to Make a CLP Label for Wax Melts? ⚠️🕯️
If you are selling wax melts, a CLP label is a legal requirement — not an optional extra.
Your CLP information will come from:
👉 The 10% non-hazardous CLP document on your fragrance oil supplier’s website
Everything that appears on your label must come directly from your supplier’s documentation. Nothing should be guessed or copied from elsewhere.
So, what’s required on a wax melt CLP label?
1️⃣ Product Identifier
This is the fragrance name exactly as shown on the 10% non-hazardous CLP document.
It must clearly identify your wax melts and link them back to the correct paperwork.
2️⃣ Hazard Pictograms
These are the red diamond symbols.
Your supplier’s CLP document tells you exactly which pictograms (if any) apply.
📌 If the fragrance qualifies as 10% non-hazardous, no pictograms are required.
3️⃣ Signal Word
This will be either:
⚠️ Warning or ☠️ Danger
Only include one if it is stated on the CLP document.
4️⃣ Precautionary Statements
These provide safety advice, such as:
• “Keep out of reach of children and pets”
• “Dispose of contents in accordance with local regulations”
Only use the statements listed in your supplier’s CLP data.
5️⃣ Allergen Information
If allergens are present above the legal threshold, they must be listed by name.
This information is included in the CLP data from your oil supplier and must match exactly.
6️⃣ Supplier Details
These are your business details:
✔️ Business name
✔️ Address
✔️ Telephone number
This identifies you as the responsible business placing the product on the market.
✨ In short:
A correct CLP label is built entirely from your supplier’s documentation. If it’s not in the CLP data — it doesn’t go on the label.
Getting this right keeps your business compliant, protects your customers and allows you to sell your wax melts with confidence.
