Are you allowed to go out in the sun while wearing perfume?

It is generally not recommended to go out in the sun while wearing perfume. Perfume may contain ingredients that make the skin more sensitive to the sun, which can lead to irritation, discoloration or even an allergic reaction. This is called phototoxic or photoallergic reaction.

Some ingredients in perfumes, such as bergamot oil, can cause phototoxic reactions. This means that the skin may react with redness, irritation or blisters when exposed to sunlight.

The combination of perfume and sun can lead to hyperpigmentation, which means that dark spots can appear on the skin where you have applied perfume.

Some people may have an allergic reaction to certain perfume ingredients when exposed to sunlight, which can result in itching, redness and rash.

For these reasons, it is better to apply perfume to areas that are not directly exposed to sunlight, such as under your clothes, or to opt for an unscented sunscreen if you know you will be in the sun a lot.

Author: Prof. Dr. Dirk Devroey - Latest update: 2024-12-29 - Copyright: Clinifacts 2025