Linalool: Fragrance that can cause cosmetic allergies

What is Linalool?

Linalool is a natural fragrance component found in plants and herbs. It has been used as a fragrance for a long time around the world. For example, it is found in the following natural oils and herbs:

• Lavender
• Ylang-ylang
• Bergamot
• jasmine
• Geranium
• Rosewood
• basil
• coriander

Linalool is said to be found in a total of over 200 natural oils.

Linalool is a very popular fragrance ingredient with a wide variety of scents, including floral freshness, woody scents, and spicy citrus scents. For this reason, linalool is contained in 90-95% of perfumes on the market.

Allergy to linalool

While the scent is appealing, linalool has been noted to pose an allergic risk .

Linalool oxidizes when exposed to air, and when it does, it becomes a strong skin sensitizer . This means that lotions and perfumes that have been opened for several months are more likely to cause allergies than those that have been opened immediately.

A 2014 study of 2,700 people reported that 7% of people had an allergic reaction to oxidized linalool. At the same time, it was suggested that people who had been sensitized to linalool may have repeated allergic reactions.

As mentioned at the beginning, linalool is one of the most common fragrance ingredients. It is found in many fragrances . This means that if you are sensitized, you are more likely to have an allergic reaction to a variety of products.

5.9% of people have an allergic reaction to linalool

A British study of 4,731 patients found that 281 people (about 5%) had a positive patch test reaction to 1% linalool. 5% also had a positive reaction to limonene , another fragrance allergen. 7.3% of people had a positive reaction to oxidized linalool and limonene.

What are the regulations regarding the use of linalool?

It has been known for over 10 years that linalool can cause allergic dermatitis, but essential oils and fragrances containing linalool are still widely used in many cosmetics.

The same is true for products sold as "natural," " organic ," or " natural ."

However, in Japan, there are no regulations regarding the use of linalool in cosmetics. Moreover, linalool is a substance that is naturally contained in essential oils and fragrances. Therefore, there is no obligation to list it on the full ingredient list . Therefore, even if an allergic reaction occurs, it is not possible to know whether linalool is included by simply checking all ingredients.

If you want to avoid allergens, you should take the following measures:

• Avoid all essential oils and plant extracts
• Find out for yourself what natural oils and plants contain linalool

EU cosmetics are subject to regulation

Linalool is not regulated in Japan. However, in the EU, there are rules for blending fragrances and essential oils in cosmetics. Naturally, linalool is subject to these rules. Manufacturers have the following obligations:

• Manufacturers must notify the manufacturer in advance if they wish to mix essential oils containing linalool.
• If a product contains linalool at a certain concentration or higher, the label will state "linalool" on the full ingredient list.

What you can do for yourself and your loved ones

Cosmetics are used almost every day. That's why you want to choose cosmetics that contain fewer ingredients that pose an allergic risk. Many fragrance ingredients, whether natural or synthetic, can cause sensitization and allergies.

To protect yourself and your loved ones, it may be a good idea to pay attention to what ingredients pose what risks.