Fragrance allergens: the 26 names the EU makes brands list

If you have ever seen Limonene or Linalool at the end of an ingredient list and wondered why a scent molecule gets its own line, this is the rule behind it. Since 2005 the EU has required 26 fragrance ingredients to be named individually whenever they exceed a small threshold, because they are among the most common causes of fragrance contact allergy. In 2026 that list grows to more than 80. Here is what is on it, how often each name appears in the products we have checked, and what the change means.

The rule in one paragraph

The word Parfum (or Fragrance) can stand for a mix of dozens of scent molecules, and brands do not have to disclose them. The exception is the allergen list: any of the 26 named substances must be written out when it exceeds 0.001 percent in a leave-on product or 0.01 percent in a rinse-off product. That is why a shampoo can say "Parfum, Limonene, Linalool": the perfume blend is secret, but those two components crossed the threshold.

The 26, ranked by how often we see them

Counts are the number of products in our data of 14,065 that list the name:

1. Limonene: 4,301
2. Linalool: 4,176
3. Benzyl alcohol: 2,390 (also used as a preservative, see below)
4. Citronellol: 2,117
5. Geraniol: 1,905
6. Hexyl cinnamal: 1,864
7. Coumarin: 1,328
8. Benzyl salicylate: 1,315
9. Citral: 1,190
10. Alpha-isomethyl ionone: 1,003
11. Eugenol: 581
12. Butylphenyl methylpropional: 543
13. Hydroxycitronellal: 511
14. Benzyl benzoate: 602 by label text
15. Cinnamal, Amyl cinnamal, Farnesol, Cinnamyl alcohol, Isoeugenol, Anise alcohol, Benzyl cinnamate: between 55 and 216 each
16. Hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde: 80
17. Evernia prunastri (oakmoss), Methyl 2-octynoate, Evernia furfuracea (treemoss), Amylcinnamyl alcohol: under 20 each

In total, 7,137 products, or 51 percent of everything we have checked, list at least one of the 26. A perfume can list many: Coco Chanel eau de parfum names 11 of them.

Two names that should be disappearing

Two entries on the list have since been banned in the EU, and their presence in our data mostly reflects older packs and non-EU markets:

• Butylphenyl methylpropional, better known as Lilial, was prohibited in EU cosmetics from 1 March 2022 after it was classified as toxic to reproduction. It still appears in 543 products in our data.
• Hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde, sold as Lyral (HICC), was banned from new products in 2019 and from sale in 2021 because of its allergy record. We still see it in 80 products.

If either name is on a pack you own, the product predates the ban or was made for another market.

Benzyl alcohol is a special case

Benzyl alcohol sits on the allergen list, but it is also one of the most common preservatives, allowed up to 1 percent for that purpose. When you see it in a product that also says Parfum, it may be doing either job. Our fragrance free check treats it as a preservative unless the label ties it to the fragrance; this is why a product can pass the check with benzyl alcohol on the list.

What changes in 2026

Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 adds 56 substances to the allergen labelling list, bringing the total to more than 80. The new names include several essential oil components and extracts (for example some rose, lavender and jasmine derived materials) as well as individual molecules. New products placed on the EU market from 31 July 2026 must use the extended list; products already on the market have until 31 July 2028.

For readers of labels this means two things. Fragrance lines will get longer. And "made with natural essential oils" will look less innocent on paper, because essential oil components are exactly the kind of substance the new list names.

Fragrance free versus allergen free

Our fragrance free check is strict: a product passes only when there is no Parfum, no Fragrance, no essential oil added for scent and no listed fragrance allergen doing fragrance work. So a product that lists Limonene will not pass, even if it contains no Parfum line, because Limonene is itself a scent component. This is deliberate. The allergen list exists because these names cause reactions, and a product that contains them is not fragrance free in any sense that matters to someone who reacts.

Browse the products that pass on the fragrance-free hub.

FAQ

Are the 26 allergens dangerous?

They cause allergic contact dermatitis in a minority of people who have become sensitized. For everyone else they are ordinary scent molecules. The label exists so that sensitized people can avoid them.

Why does my "unscented" cream list Limonene?

Unscented is a marketing term, not a regulated one. The product may contain a masking fragrance, and Limonene can also come from a citrus oil added for another reason. Our fragrance free check reads the list, not the front of the pack.

Do US labels list these allergens?

No. US regulation does not require individual fragrance allergens to be named. Products sold in both markets often carry the EU list anyway because it is easier to print one label.

Is Linalool natural?

It occurs in lavender, coriander and many other plants, and it is also made synthetically. The label does not say which source was used, and the allergy rule applies either way.