Linalool, Limonene and the EU Allergen List, Explained

Short answer: Linalool is a scent molecule found in lavender, coriander and many other plants. It is one of the fragrance allergens that EU law requires to be named on a cosmetic label once it passes a set level. Seeing it tells you the product contains fragrance or a scented plant oil. It is not a safety warning.

• The law: EU Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009, Annex III.
• When it must be named: above 0.001 % in leave-on products and above 0.01 % in rinse-off products.
• The list: for years built around 26 fragrance allergens, and expanded considerably by Regulation (EU) 2023/1545.
• Why it exists: so people who know they react to a specific substance can find it on the label.

What is linalool?

Linalool is a naturally occurring fragrance molecule with a fresh, floral, slightly woody scent. Plants make it in large amounts: it is a major part of lavender oil and coriander seed oil, and it is present in bergamot, rosewood, basil and many flowers. It can also be made synthetically. Chemically, the natural and synthetic versions are the same molecule, and the label rule applies to both.

Because it is so common in nature, linalool turns up in a wide range of products: perfumed creams, essential-oil blends, "natural" body care, cleaning products and even foods and drinks, where it contributes to flavour.

What is limonene?

Limonene is the bright, citrus-smelling molecule in the peel of oranges, lemons and other citrus fruit. Citrus essential oils are mostly limonene. It gives a fresh top note to perfumes and is also used as a solvent. On a cosmetic label you will often find it right next to linalool, because many fragrance blends and essential oils contain both.

Why does the EU require these names on labels?

To give people with a known fragrance allergy a way to avoid it. A fragrance blend may be listed with the single word Parfum, which keeps its recipe confidential. The trade-off is that specific substances known to cause allergic reactions in some people must be named individually once they pass set levels.

Under Annex III of Regulation 1223/2009, those levels are 0.001 % for products you leave on the skin, such as creams and serums, and 0.01 % for products you rinse off, such as cleansers and shampoos. The rinse-off threshold is higher because the contact time is short. The name must appear whether the substance came from a synthetic perfume or from a natural plant oil.

What changed with Regulation (EU) 2023/1545?

It expanded the list of fragrance allergens that must be labelled individually. For years the rule covered 26 substances. The 2023 regulation added many more, including further individual molecules and several natural extracts, while keeping the same leave-on and rinse-off thresholds.

The change is phased in. Products newly placed on the EU market have had to follow the new labelling since 31 July 2026, and products already on the market before that date may stay on sale until 31 July 2028. In practice this means some ingredient lists are growing longer during this transition even though the formula has not changed. A longer allergen list does not mean a product has become stronger or less suitable. It means the label now names more of what was already there.

Is linalool bad for your skin?

For most people, no. The large majority of people use products containing linalool and limonene every day without any reaction. A minority of people develop an allergy to one or more fragrance substances, and for them the named list is genuinely useful.

One detail matters in daily use. Linalool and limonene react with air over time, and the oxidised forms are known to be more likely to cause reactions than the fresh ones. Keeping caps closed, storing products away from heat and sunlight, and using them within the period shown on the open-jar symbol all help.

Which fragrance allergens will you see most often?

A handful of names appear far more often than the rest.

Name on the label	Typical natural sources	Scent character
Linalool	Lavender, coriander, bergamot	Fresh, floral
Limonene	Orange, lemon and other citrus peel	Bright citrus
Citronellol	Rose, geranium	Soft rose
Geraniol	Rose, palmarosa, geranium	Rosy, sweet
Citral	Lemongrass, lemon myrtle	Sharp lemon
Eugenol	Clove	Warm, spicy
Coumarin	Tonka bean	Sweet, hay-like
Benzyl Alcohol	Some flowers; also used as a preservative	Faint

Benzyl Alcohol is worth a note. It is on the allergen list, but it is also widely used as a preservative. If you see it on an otherwise unscented product, it is most likely there to keep the formula fresh rather than to add scent.

How do you use the allergen list if your skin reacts?

Use it as a detective tool. Keep a short note of any product that bothered you and copy the named allergens from its label. If the same name keeps appearing, you have a lead.

A home patch test only tells you whether your skin tolerates one product. To identify the specific substance, a doctor can arrange a formal patch test. Once you know the name, you can look for it on every label. In the meantime, fragrance-free leave-on products remove most of the variables. Our Hydrogel Anti-Aging Eye Patches are fragrance-free, which makes them a simple choice for the delicate under-eye area. You will find our other face products in the skincare collection, each with its full ingredient list. For more on keeping easily irritated skin comfortable, read our skin barrier guide.

Common mistakes with allergen labels

• Reading every named allergen as toxic. The label exists for people with a specific allergy, not as a hazard warning for everyone.
• Assuming natural products contain none. Lavender oil contains linalool. Citrus oils contain limonene.
• Assuming a shorter list is always gentler. A short list can still contain the one substance you react to.
• Forgetting rinse-off products. Shampoos and cleansers carry allergens too, at a higher labelling threshold.
• Leaving bottles open. Fragrance molecules oxidise with air, which makes them more likely to cause a reaction.

What the allergen list won't tell you

It does not give the exact amount of each substance, only that it passed the labelling threshold. It does not list every ingredient inside the Parfum blend. And it cannot tell you whether you personally will react. It is a useful filter for people who know what they are looking for. It is not a safety rating.

Frequently asked questions

Is linalool safe in skincare?

Linalool is permitted in EU cosmetics and most people use it without any problem. It is named on labels so that the minority with an allergy to it can avoid it. If a doctor has told you to avoid linalool, check every label for it.

Why does a natural product list limonene?

Because citrus and many other essential oils naturally contain it. EU rules require the name on the label whether the limonene came from a synthetic fragrance or a plant oil.

What is the difference between the leave-on and rinse-off thresholds?

Under Annex III of Regulation 1223/2009, a fragrance allergen must be named above 0.001 % in a leave-on product and above 0.01 % in a rinse-off product. Rinse-off products stay on the skin briefly, so the threshold is higher.

Does linalool on a label mean the product has added perfume?

Usually it means there is fragrance or a scented plant oil in the formula. Some plant extracts and oils contain linalool naturally, so it can appear even when the scent comes from essential oils rather than a perfume blend.

Why are ingredient lists getting longer?

Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 expanded the list of fragrance allergens that must be named. As products move to the new labelling, more names appear, even when the formula itself has not changed.

Last reviewed: October 2026.