The 26 EU Fragrance Allergens You Should Know

If you’ve ever wondered why some cosmetic labels list “Parfum” plus a string of italic-Latin names like Limonene, Linalool, Citronellol, that string is the EU fragrance allergen declaration. Twenty-six specific compounds, listed by name on every leave-on cosmetic if they exceed a threshold concentration, because they are the most-documented causes of fragrance contact allergy in Europe.

Why these 26 specifically

A fragrance is a mixture — sometimes of hundreds of individual aromatic molecules. The full fragrance composition is usually trade-secret, declared on labels only as “Parfum” or “Fragrance.” This trade-secret protection conflicts with the consumer’s interest in knowing what they are putting on their skin, especially if they have a known sensitivity.

The EU’s solution: in 2003 (under the original Cosmetics Directive 76/768/EEC, later carried into Regulation EC 1223/2009), 26 specific fragrance compounds were identified as the most frequent causes of fragrance contact allergy in European patch-test studies. These must be declared by INCI name on the ingredient list when present above:

• 10 ppm (0.001%) in leave-on cosmetics (creams, lotions, perfumes)
• 100 ppm (0.01%) in rinse-off cosmetics (shampoos, washes)

Below these thresholds, they can remain under the “Parfum” umbrella.

The full list

The 26 declared fragrance allergens, with their common functional role:

#	INCI name	Common in
1	Amyl Cinnamal	Floral fragrances, oriental notes
2	Benzyl Alcohol	Solvent, preservative, fragrance
3	Cinnamyl Alcohol	Cinnamon-scented products
4	Citral	Citrus, lemon scents
5	Eugenol	Clove, spice fragrances
6	Hydroxycitronellal	Lily-of-the-valley fragrance accord
7	Isoeugenol	Clove, balsamic notes
8	Amylcinnamyl Alcohol	Floral, jasmine accord
9	Benzyl Salicylate	UV filter, fragrance fixative
10	Cinnamal	Cinnamon scents (strong sensitiser)
11	Coumarin	Vanilla, hay-like fragrance
12	Geraniol	Rose, geranium scents
13	Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde (Lyral)	Floral notes — now banned as of 2021
14	Anise Alcohol	Anise, fennel scents
15	Benzyl Cinnamate	Balsamic fragrance accord
16	Farnesol	Floral fragrances, antimicrobial
17	Butylphenyl Methylpropional (Lilial)	Lily-of-the-valley accord — now banned as of 2022
18	Linalool	Lavender, bergamot (one of the most common)
19	Benzyl Benzoate	Solvent, vanilla accord
20	Citronellol	Rose, geranium
21	Hexyl Cinnamal	Chamomile, jasmine accord
22	Limonene	Citrus oils — the most common of all
23	Methyl 2-Octynoate	Violet, leather accord
24	Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone	Floral, violet
25	Evernia Prunastri (Oakmoss) Extract	Oakmoss, mossy chypre
26	Evernia Furfuracea (Treemoss) Extract	Treemoss, fougère accord

What “banned” means among declared allergens

Two of the 26 — HICC (Lyral) and Butylphenyl Methylpropional (Lilial) — were moved from the disclosure list to outright prohibition in subsequent years because patch-test data showed they were causing too many allergic reactions for the disclosure-only approach to be adequate.

• HICC (Lyral): Banned from August 2021. No longer permitted in any EU cosmetic.
• Butylphenyl Methylpropional (Lilial): Banned from March 2022 because it was also classified as a CMR substance (reproductive toxicity).

If you see either of these on a product label, it predates the ban and is no longer legal to sell.

How often these allergens cause problems

The European Society of Contact Dermatitis maintains a baseline patch test series including the fragrance allergens. Across European patch test centres, the most common positive reactions among the 26 are:

1. Cinnamal — clove, cinnamon notes
2. Isoeugenol — clove, balsamic
3. HICC (now banned) — lily-of-the-valley
4. Hydroxycitronellal — lily-of-the-valley
5. Oakmoss extract — mossy fragrance accord

Reactions vary by population — German, Dutch, and Scandinavian studies tend to show slightly different ranks than Mediterranean and Eastern European ones, reflecting differences in product use patterns. The full list does represent the broadly most-implicated compounds across Europe.

What the disclosure rule does (and doesn’t) achieve

The 26-allergen disclosure system serves three purposes:

1. Patch test follow-up. A patient who tests positive to a specific fragrance allergen on a clinical patch test can read INCI lists and avoid that compound specifically — rather than avoiding all fragranced products.
2. Informed product choice. Consumers with known sensitivities can avoid specific compounds while still using fragranced cosmetics from brands they like.
3. Transparency floor. Brands cannot hide the most-implicated allergens inside the “Parfum” umbrella.

What it doesn’t do:

• It doesn’t cover the 80+ other fragrance allergens identified by the SCCS in more recent reviews. The list has been expanded scientifically but the regulatory disclosure list has not yet been updated to match.
• It doesn’t cover trace fragrance compounds below the 10 ppm / 100 ppm threshold.
• It doesn’t reveal the full perfume composition, which remains trade secret.

The EU is in the process of expanding the disclosure list to align with the SCCS’s updated allergen identification, but as of 2026 the regulatory list remains the original 26 with the two prohibitions.

How to read a fragranced product

A typical leave-on cosmetic with fragrance might list:

Aqua, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, … Parfum, Linalool, Limonene, Citronellol, Geraniol

What this tells you:

• The product contains a perfume blend
• Within that blend, linalool, limonene, citronellol, and geraniol are present above the 10 ppm threshold (their relative position roughly correlates with concentration but is less precise than ingredient ordering before the “Parfum” marker)
• Other fragrance compounds may be present below threshold and are not individually disclosed

If you have a documented allergy to one of these specifically, you avoid this product. If you don’t, the presence of disclosed allergens doesn’t mean the product is unsafe — it means the brand is being transparent about what’s in their perfume blend.

What “fragrance-free” actually means

Two common labels:

• “Fragrance-free” / “Sans Parfum” — no perfume materials added for scent. This is the strongest no-fragrance claim. The product may still have a faint smell from other ingredients (lanolin, certain plant extracts) but no compounds were added for olfactory effect.
• “Unscented” — sometimes contains masking fragrances designed to neutralise the natural odour of other ingredients. Look for “Parfum” or fragrance allergens on the INCI list; if present, “unscented” doesn’t mean fragrance-free.

For verified fragrance sensitivity, “fragrance-free” with no Parfum or individual allergens on the INCI list is the safe choice.

How LuxSense scores fragrance allergens

Each of the 26 EU declared allergens is in our database. Scores vary:

• Common, mild allergens (linalool, limonene): score in the 50s–60s. Real sensitisation risk in a small fraction of users, otherwise well-tolerated.
• Stronger sensitisers (cinnamal, isoeugenol, oakmoss extract): score in the 30s–50s. Higher reactivity rates in patch test data.
• Banned (HICC, Lilial): not present in any legal EU product.

A product containing several flagged allergens isn’t unsafe by default — but for users with known fragrance sensitivity, the cumulative count matters.

FAQ

Should I avoid all 26 allergens?

Only if you have a known fragrance allergy or are following dermatologist guidance for atopic skin. The disclosure exists for informed avoidance, not blanket prohibition.

Why is “natural fragrance” not safer?

Most of the 26 declared allergens are naturally occurring in essential oils. Lavender essential oil is high in linalool. Citrus oils are high in limonene. Geranium oil is rich in geraniol and citronellol. Natural origin does not avoid the allergen issue — sometimes it concentrates it.

Is there a difference between “Parfum” and “Aroma”?

In EU labelling, both terms are used. “Aroma” is more common in oral products and refers to flavouring. “Parfum” is the standard for cosmetics. Functionally they reflect the same trade-secret-with-allergen-disclosure framework.

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Browse the linalool profile or scan any fragranced cosmetic with LuxSense to see exactly which declared fragrance allergens it contains.