The Dove soap controversy has sparked a firestorm on social media, but influencers like Rashmi Rajpal and Dr. Priyanka Reddy are cutting through the noise with raw, relatable insights. Rashmi Rajpal, a B.Tech in Cosmetology and Research Scientist behind @formulatedbycosmeticengineer, kicked off the conversation in an Instagram Reel.
Her video opens with: "When will this brand learn?" She highlights the September 2024 EU recall and Nigeria's June 2025 NAFDAC ban on Dove products due to BMHCA, a hormone disruptor linked to reproductive risks in men and women.
Yet the irony lies with us: consumers hooked on nostalgic scents keep these giants recycling risky formulas. She calls out Mysore Sandal Soap as a prime example, high alkaline pH, harsh on skin, yet it sells millions because we crave that signature sandalwood scent. "Ingredients should matter most, not fragrance," she urges, pushing for mindset shifts to drive brands toward safer innovations.
This reel inspired a segment in a video by Dr. Priyanka Reddy, MBBS, MD DVL, Fellowship in Cosmetology from the USA, a dermatologist, on her Instagram account @drpriyankareddy. Dr. Reddy echoes and expands: "Let's decode the Dove soap controversy." She clarifies it's not a blanket ban but batch-specific recalls for BMHCA, banned EU-wide since 2022 as a possible endocrine disruptor: "One ingredient, one batch, compliance issue, not brand cancellation."
Drawing from her experiences, she shared viewer pushback: "But Doc, it's nostalgic and comforting." She compared it to bad movies that keep screening because we buy tickets, demand drives supply.
"Change must begin with us," she insists, advocating fragrance-free products for kids and reproductive-age individuals, while calling for stricter regulators so we can trust labels without second-guessing.
The saga unfolds via the EU Safety Gate system and NAFDAC notifications, flagging non-compliant Dove batches for containing BMHCA (Lilial): a floral fragrance banned since March 2022 for CMR risks in EU.
CMR = Carcinogenic, Mutagenic, or Toxic to Reproduction (EU CLP Regulation EC No 1272/2008).
1. June 2, 2025 – NAFDAC Public Alert No. 018/2025: EU banned Dove Hand Soap (100g) and Dove Deodorants in Brussels, Belgium, due to BMHCA. Affected:
Dove Exfoliating Hand Soap
Dove Deo Go Fresh
Dove Invisible Dry
Dove Men + Care Silver Control Spray
2. August 30, 2024 – NAFDAC Public Alert No. 035/2024: Recalled Dove Beauty Cream Bar Soap (100g, batch 81832M 08, Germany, barcode 8000700000005) for BMHCA. EU banned its sale. NAFDAC also flagged 15 other Dove products (deodorants, lotions, shower gels) from UK, Italy, and Czech Republic.
BMHCA mimics lily-of-the-valley scents but poses dermal risks as the main exposure route. "It's a possible endocrine disruptor, linked to reproductive risk in both men and women," warns Dr. Priyanka Reddy.
Chemical Name of BMHCA: 2-(4-tert-Butylbenzyl)propionaldehyde (Lilial)
Common Uses of BMHCA: Floral notes in soaps, deodorants, lotions
Reproductive Risks of BMHCA: Might affect fertility and poses risk to an unborn child's health.
Note: "Not all bans are equal," said Dr. Reddy, this is a supply chain slippage, not a systemic failure.
"Fragrance has no therapeutic value… just pleases the nose," says Dr. Reddy.
Rashmi and Dr. Reddy explain: familiar scents activate brain reward centers. Example: Mysore Sandal Soap have harsh pH, but we still reject reformulations.
"We reject anything new," says Rashmi. Demand perpetuates risks.
Pregnant/reproductive-age adults
Children
People with sensitive skin
"Go fragrance-free, especially for kids and reproductive-age groups," advises Dr. Reddy.
From Rashmi’s call to rethink scents to Dr. Reddy’s decode of nostalgia’s grip, Dove’s BMHCA saga reveals our power and pitfalls. Targeted batches, not the brand, are the issue. Swap "parfum" for safety, prioritize pH ~5.5 (skin-matched), and vote with your wallet. Your Skin deserves science over sentiment.
Is Dove soap banned across Europe?
No, only specific BMHCA-contaminated batches is banned and not the brand.
What is BMHCA and why is it dangerous?
BMHCA (Butylphenyl Methylpropional) is a banned fragrance (aka Lilial), it causes reproductive harm, fetal risks, and allergies therefore it is dangerous.
Should I toss my Dove soap?
Only if it matches recalled batches (e.g., 81832M 08). Others are safe.
Does the U.S. allow BMHCA?
Yes, in trace amounts, unlike the EU’s total ban.
Edited by M Subha Maheswari