- Overview
- A floral fragrance compound derived from essential oils.
- Category
- Fragrance
- Type
- Fragrance
Adds a light, citrus-floral scent that lifts a product's sensory appeal, though the value is aromatic rather than a direct skincare benefit.
Used in perfumes, body sprays, shampoos, and lotions to add a bright floral note.
This ingredient is not typically evaluated for comedogenicity, and no standardized rating is available.
Can cause irritation or allergic contact dermatitis, especially once oxidized; airtight packaging and antioxidants help slow that degradation. EU rules require it to appear on the label above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-offs. Fragrance-sensitive users may do better with fragrance-free products.
Linalool is a fragrance ingredient more than a skincare one, which is why it lands at Fair: it smells good but does little for the skin directly, and oxidation raises the sensitization risk. It's a recognized fragrance allergen in the EU, and sensitive users may react, especially to products that have sat open to air.
Concerns
Contrary to the anti-inflammatory benefit listed above, linalool may irritate and sensitize the skin. It can disrupt the skin barrier leading to irritation and increase the changes of an allergic reaction.
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The risk of skin irritation is reduced with lower concentrations but it still poses a risk.
It is also on the European Commission’s list of 26 known allergens. Some of the other ingredients on this fragrance allergen list include Geraniol, Coumarin, Benzyl Salicylate, and Limonene.
Linalool doesn’t pose a risk in terms of toxicity and cancer but it may irritate sensitive or allergy-prone skin.
Since the benefits of linalool are limited, Skincare Lab recommends avoiding when possible, especially for those with sensitive skin types.
In a study done in Europe, around 7% of people were allergic to linalool in its oxidized form. If you’re not sure whether or not you’re allergic to linalool, you may want to test the product on a small patch of your skin to ensure that you avoid any potential irritation or other side effects.
Also Known As
The term “linalool” is the most common for this compound, and this is what you will find listed on most skin care products, However, linalool is also sometimes called linalyl alcohol, linalyl alcohol, or allo-ocimenol, and it’s also known as 3,7-Dimethyl-1,6-octadien-3-ol or 3,7-Dimethylocta-1,6-dien-3-ol.
