A London fragrance label has just become the first in the world to be approved by Breast Cancer UK. Here’s why that’s a big deal.
If you light a candle, spray a room mist or wear fragrance daily, this is news worth knowing.
In January 2026, London-based brand The Lab Co. became the first fragrance house in the world to be officially approved by Breast Cancer UK. The approval comes after the brand removed every ingredient listed on the charity’s A–Z Chemicals of Concern from its products.
That list includes substances linked to cancer risk and hormone disruption, many of which are still commonly found in scented products used at home and on the body.
What makes this different from the usual “clean fragrance” claim is who’s doing the approving. Breast Cancer UK is not a lifestyle label or a marketing certification. Its A–Z list is based on current scientific evidence around chemicals found in everyday products. The Lab Co. has aligned its entire fragrance and home range with that list, without exceptions.
For consumers, this matters because fragrance remains one of the least transparent categories in beauty and home. Ingredients can still be hidden behind the word “parfum”, making it hard to know what you’re actually breathing in or putting on your skin.
The Lab Co. was founded in London in 2020 by Joshua Mano Gilbertson and Tess Richards, who wanted fragrance to be something people could enjoy without worry. The brand works with perfumers and scientists to create scents that rely on natural ingredients and safe, sustainable synthetics, while avoiding known carcinogens and hormone disruptors.
Breast Cancer UK says the partnership is about helping people make safer choices at home, and about showing what’s possible in a sector that has been slow to change.
The timing also matters. Interest in wellness and safer living continues to rise, but many consumers are sceptical of vague claims. Independent approval cuts through that noise.
The Lab Co. is already stocked by retailers including Selfridges, Waitrose and Ocado, and plans to extend the same standards to fine fragrance and body care in 2026.
For anyone trying to make better choices without sacrificing scent, this feels like a quiet shift in the right direction. Less greenwashing, more clarity, and proof that clean fragrance doesn’t have to mean compromise.
