Linalool[3][4] ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is used primarily as a fragrance component, adding a fresh floral note and sometimes helping mask base-odor from other raw materials.
What does Linalool[3][4] do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is used primarily as a fragrance component, adding a fresh floral note and sometimes helping mask base-odor from other raw materials.
Is Linalool[3][4] clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, it is acceptable but flagged because it is a declarable fragrance allergen in many regions. It is usually well tolerated at low levels, but air oxidation can create byproducts with higher sensitization potential.
Is Linalool[3][4] sustainable?
This material can be sourced from essential oils or made synthetically, so its footprint depends heavily on feedstock and processing route. It is considered readily biodegradable, but large-scale natural sourcing can carry agricultural and distillation-energy impacts.
Is Linalool[3][4] COSMOS-approved?
It can be permitted under COSMOS Natural and Organic when it comes from an allowed natural fragrance route and meets fragrance-standard requirements. Its Green Chemistry fit is mixed, with renewable sourcing and biodegradability as positives, and synthetic petrochemical routes or energy-intensive isolation as caveats.
How does Linalool[3][4] work chemically?
The molecule is an acyclic, unsaturated terpene alcohol with two carbon-carbon double bonds and a tertiary alcohol group, which explains its volatility and oxidation sensitivity. Typical use in finished formulas is low, often well under 1%, and EU allergen labeling thresholds are 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
Last updated 2026-05-13