EU 26 Declarable Fragrance Allergens — Complete Reference
The EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC 1223/2009, Annex III) requires that 26 specific fragrance substances be declared on product labels when they exceed certain concentrations: 10 ppm (0.001%) in leave-on products and 100 ppm (0.01%) in rinse-off products. This list is the single most important regulatory document for anyone formulating consumer products containing fragrance.
The 26 Substances
Click any linked ingredient to view its full safety profile, PubChem data, and IFRA restrictions in our database.
| SUBSTANCE | CAS NUMBER |
|---|---|
| Amyl cinnamal | 122-67-8 |
| Amylcinnamyl alcohol | 101-85-9 |
| Anisyl alcohol | 105-13-5 |
| Benzyl alcohol | 100-51-6 |
| Benzyl benzoate | 120-51-4 |
| Benzyl cinnamate | 103-41-3 |
| Benzyl salicylate | 118-58-1 |
| Cinnamal (Cinnamaldehyde) | 104-55-2 |
| Cinnamyl alcohol | 104-54-1 |
| Citral | 5392-40-5 |
| Citronellol | 106-22-9 |
| Coumarin | 91-64-5 |
| Eugenol | 97-53-0 |
| Farnesol | 4602-84-0 |
| Geraniol | 106-24-1 |
| Hexyl cinnamal | 101-86-0 |
| Hydroxycitronellal | 107-75-5 |
| HICC (Lyral) [BANNED EU Aug 2021] | 31906-04-4 |
| Isoeugenol | 97-54-1 |
| Lilial (BMHCA) [BANNED EU Mar 2022] | 80-54-6 |
| d-Limonene | 5989-27-5 |
| Linalool | 78-70-6 |
| Methyl 2-octynoate | 111-12-6 |
| Oakmoss extract (Evernia prunastri) | 90028-68-5 |
| Treemoss extract (Evernia furfuracea) | 90028-67-4 |
| Alpha-isomethyl ionone | 127-51-5 |
Note: Lilial (BMHCA) and Lyral (HICC) have been banned from EU cosmetic products but remain on the allergen list for labeling completeness. The EU is currently reviewing whether to expand this list to approximately 80+ substances.
Labeling Thresholds
- Leave-on products (lotions, creams, perfumes): Declare if allergen exceeds 10 ppm (0.001%) in finished product
- Rinse-off products (shampoo, shower gel, soap): Declare if allergen exceeds 100 ppm (0.01%) in finished product
- Calculation: If your fragrance contains 5% linalool and you use 2% fragrance in a leave-on product: 5% × 2% = 0.1% = 1000 ppm → must declare
- Where to declare: On the product INCI list, after the base formula ingredients, in descending concentration order
Which Ingredients Contain These Allergens?
Many natural essential oils contain multiple declarable allergens. Some of the most allergen-rich naturals include:
- Rose oil: Contains citronellol, geraniol, linalool, citral, eugenol, farnesol
- Lavender oil: Contains linalool, linalyl acetate, geraniol, coumarin
- Ylang ylang oil: Contains linalool, geraniol, benzyl benzoate, benzyl salicylate, farnesol, isoeugenol
- Citrus oils: Contain limonene, linalool, citral, geraniol
- Cinnamon bark oil: Contains cinnamal, eugenol, linalool, coumarin
This is why “fragrance-free” and “naturally fragranced” products can still trigger allergic reactions — natural does not mean hypoallergenic.