These are odorous compounds naturally present in the essential oils or perfumes used in the product, the presence of which must be mentioned on the label.
These substances, 26 in number, are small volatile and odorous molecules,
which can in rare cases (between 0.5% and 5% of the population) cause allergic reactions on certain sensitive skin at the site of application.
These molecules are measured in products using a specific technique called Gas Chromatography.
Here is the complete list of these 26 molecules:
- Alpha-Isomethyl ionone
- Amyl cinnamal
- Amylcinnamyl alcohol
- Anise alcohol
- Benzyl alcohol
- Benzyl benzoate
- Benzyl cinnamate
- Benzyl salicylate
- Butylphenylmethylpropional
- Cinnamal
- Cinnamyl alcohol
- Citral
- Citronellol
- Coumarin
- Eugenol
- Farnesol
- Geraniol
- Hexyl cinnamal
- Hydroxycitronnellal
- Hydroxyisohexyl
- 3-cyclohexene
- carboxaldehyde
- Isoeugenol
- Limonene
- Linalool
- Methyl 2-octynoate
- Evernia prunastri (Oak moss)
- Evernia furfuracea (Tree Moss)
It is also very surprising that they are regularly singled out by users only.
these 26 molecules while most are of natural origin. Indeed, other substances such as 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol, DMDM-hydantoin.
diazolidinyl urea, quaternium-15 or methylchloroisothiazolinone-methylisothiazolinone (MCI-MI) which are biocides of synthetic origin.
can cause serious skin irritation reactions and are very rarely the subject of questions from consumers…