Linalool ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is primarily a fragrance component, adding a floral, citrus-like scent and helping round out essential oil or perfume blends. It can also help mask base odors in a formula.
What does Linalool do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is primarily a fragrance component, adding a floral, citrus-like scent and helping round out essential oil or perfume blends. It can also help mask base odors in a formula.
Is Linalool clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, it is acceptable but flagged because it is a regulated fragrance allergen in many markets. Its oxidation products are more likely to trigger sensitivity, so freshness, storage, and allergen labeling matter.
Is Linalool sustainable?
This material can be derived from essential oils or made synthetically from petrochemical or terpene feedstocks. It is generally biodegradable, but it is volatile and can oxidize in air, which adds a formulation and packaging consideration.
Is Linalool COSMOS-approved?
It can be used in COSMOS-aligned products when it comes from permitted natural fragrance materials and meets fragrance and allergen requirements. Renewable sourcing and biodegradability support Green Chemistry fit, while synthetic petrochemical grades and oxidation sensitivity are the main caveats.
How does Linalool work chemically?
The molecule is a small, unsaturated monoterpene alcohol with two carbon-carbon double bonds and a tertiary alcohol group. It is commonly present at trace to sub-1% levels in finished products, and EU allergen labeling is triggered at very low thresholds, 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
Last updated 2026-05-13