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Fragrance allergens on skincare labels, by name

Linalool, Limonene, Citral and Geraniol are fragrance allergens an EU label must name. Since 31 July 2026, new products must name 56 more.

By Bravoora teamPublished 13 October 2026Sources checked 13 October 20268 min read

Parfum: one word for the whole blend.
Linalool, Limonene, Citral, Geraniol: named on EU labels before 2023.
Linalyl Acetate, Terpineol: added by Regulation (EU) 2023/1545.
A leave-on lotion names them above 0.001%; a rinse-off product above 0.01%.
The 56 added names: new products since 31 July 2026, older stock until 31 July 2028.

A sample body lotion label. Parfum is the blend; the names after it are fragrance allergens, older ones and two added in 2023.

Key takeaways

Parfum, or Fragrance, stands for the whole scent blend; in the EU the fragrance allergens inside it must be named as well once they pass 0.001% (leave-on) or 0.01% (rinse-off).
The EU first listed 26 fragrance allergens in 2003. Two, known as Lyral and Lilial, were later banned from cosmetics, which left 24.
Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 adds 56 more, among them Linalyl Acetate, Terpineol and ylang ylang oil (Cananga Odorata). New products have had to name them since 31 July 2026; older stock may be sold until 31 July 2028.
Canada uses the EU list: the first 24 on every cosmetic since 12 April 2026, the expanded list on new products from 1 August 2026 and on existing ones from 1 August 2028.
In the US a label may still say “Fragrance” alone; the FDA lists fragrance allergen labelling among the rules it must still set under the 2022 cosmetics law.

The short answer

An EU cosmetic label must name a fragrance allergen once it passes 0.001% of a leave-on product or 0.01% of a rinse-off one, instead of leaving it inside Parfum. Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 adds 56 to the 24 already named. New products have had to name them since 31 July 2026; older stock may be sold until 31 July 2028.

What does “Parfum” stand for on a label?

Parfum, Fragrance or Aroma is one word for a blend that can hold many substances^[1]. EU law asks for the blend to be listed as parfum or aroma, and for the fragrance allergens on its list to be named in the ingredient list in addition to that word^[2]. So a label can print Parfum and, further down, Linalool, Limonene and Citral: the blend, then the allergens inside it.

In the US, fragrance can be listed simply as “Fragrance”, because fragrance formulas are treated as trade secrets^[3].

Where do the named allergens sit in the list?

They are ordinary entries in the same INCI list, under their INCI names. The list runs from the highest concentration down to 1%, and below 1% any order is allowed^[2], which is why a label can print them right after Parfum or at the very end. The guide to reading an INCI list walks through the rest of the label.

Since the 2023 change, some entries are plant oils and extracts named in full: ylang ylang oil and extract, for example, is labelled “Cananga Odorata Oil/Extract”^[4].

When must a fragrance allergen be named?

In the EU, a listed fragrance allergen must be named once its concentration passes 0.001% in a leave-on product or 0.01% in a rinse-off product^[2]^[4]. A leave-on product is meant to stay in prolonged contact with the skin, hair or mucous membranes, such as a moisturiser; a rinse-off product is meant to be removed after application, such as a shampoo or a shower gel^[2].

0.001% is 10 milligrams in a kilogram of product, and 0.01% is 100 milligrams. Below those levels, an allergen can be present without being named.

What changed in 2023: from 26 names to 24, then 56 more?

In 2003 the EU required 26 fragrance allergens to be named above those levels^[5]. Two of them were later banned from cosmetics altogether: hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde, known as Lyral, by Regulation (EU) 2017/1410^[6], and butylphenyl methylpropional, known as Lilial, by Regulation (EU) 2021/1902^[7]. That left the 24 the Commission counted when it adopted Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 on 26 July 2023^[4].

The 2023 regulation adds 56 fragrance allergens that the EU’s scientific committee found had clearly caused allergies in people^[4]. It also groups some substances into single entries and brings their names up to date with the current ingredient glossary^[8]. Counts differ with the source: the regulation speaks of 24 allergens and 56 more, while Health Canada, which applies the EU list, describes the same change as 24 to 81 entries^[9].

Fragrance allergens on EU labels, before and after 2023 (examples)
Group	Examples as printed	On EU labels
On the list before 2023 (24)	Linalool, Limonene, Citral, Geraniol, Citronellol	Every product above the threshold^[2]^[4]
Added by Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 (56)	Linalyl Acetate, Terpineol, Cananga Odorata Oil/Extract (ylang ylang)	New products since 31 July 2026; every product after 31 July 2028^[4]^[8]
Banned from EU cosmetics	Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde (Lyral), Butylphenyl Methylpropional (Lilial)	No longer allowed in a cosmetic^[6]^[7]

Which markets require the names, and from when?

The EU sets the list. Canada uses it by reference, on its own dates, and the US has yet to set a list of its own.

Fragrance allergen labelling by market (sources checked 13 October 2026)
Market	The rule	Dates
European Union	Named in the ingredient list above 0.001% (leave-on) or 0.01% (rinse-off)^[2]^[4]	The 56 added names: new products since 31 July 2026; older stock may be sold until 31 July 2028^[8]
Canada	The EU list, used by reference, at the same levels^[9]	24 names on every cosmetic since 12 April 2026; the expanded list of 81 entries on new cosmetics from 1 August 2026 and on existing ones from 1 August 2028^[9]
United States	“Fragrance” may be listed as one word^[3]; the 2022 cosmetics law, MoCRA, requires a rule on fragrance allergen labelling^[10]	The FDA lists that rule among the regulations it must still establish^[10]

Does “fragrance-free” mean none of these names?

Not always. The FDA says a product labelled “fragrance free” should contain no added fragrance ingredients, and that one labelled “unscented” may contain a masking fragrance to hide the smell of other ingredients^[11]. Neither word replaces the ingredient list: read it for Parfum and for the named allergens.

Fragrance names in Bravoora’s label dictionary

The public dictionary holds 35 fragrance names, spelling variants included: the blend words “parfum”, “fragrance” and “aroma” and named allergens such as “linalool”, “limonene”, “citral”, “geraniol” and “citronellol”^[12].
It also reads names now banned in EU cosmetics: “hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde”, “lyral” and “butylphenyl methylpropional”^[12].
None of the three 2023 additions named in this guide, “linalyl acetate”, “terpineol” and “cananga odorata”, is in this edition (version 1.5.1)^[12].

Method: names from the published dictionary file (English edition), version 1.5.1, built 1 October 2026 and read on 13 October 2026^[12]. A match means the name is printed on the label, not how much of it the product contains.

Which words on a skincare label point to fragrance?

Parfum, Fragrance, Aroma: the blend, in one word.
Linalool, Limonene, Citral, Geraniol, Citronellol: fragrance allergens named on EU labels before 2023.
Linalyl Acetate, Terpineol: added by the 2023 regulation.
Cananga Odorata Oil/Extract: ylang ylang, a plant oil on the 2023 list.
Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Butylphenyl Methylpropional: two names now banned in EU cosmetics.
Fragrance-free: no added fragrance. Unscented: may still contain a masking fragrance.

How do you check a skincare label for fragrance allergens in 30 seconds?

Find Parfum, Fragrance or Aroma in the list.
Read past it to the end: named allergens can sit anywhere below the 1% line.
Look for the names you avoid, old and new: Linalool, Limonene, Citral, Geraniol, Linalyl Acetate, Terpineol.
Note whether the product stays on the skin or is rinsed off: the naming threshold differs tenfold.
Remember older stock: until 31 July 2028, a product placed on sale before the change may print only the earlier names.

How does Bravoora check a skincare label for fragrance?

Bravoora flags Parfum and the named fragrance allergens that follow it in the ingredient list^[1], and shows the printed name with its meaning: “Linalool = fragrance allergen”. It then compares the match with the profile you build, so the answer is about the person: “Not for Emma” when Emma avoids fragrance. The methodology shows how it is tested.

Let Bravoora read the label with you.

Tell it once what matters: your allergens, your diet, the ingredients you watch. Every answer then shows the words it is based on.

Build my profile

Scope and limits

This guide covers fragrance allergen labelling on cosmetics in the EU, Canada and the US. It does not cover UK rules or flavourings in food.

Sources were checked on 13 October 2026.

This is general label information, not medical or dermatological advice. A dermatologist can tell you which names matter for your skin.

Frequently asked questions

Does a named fragrance allergen mean the product will cause a reaction?

No. The name says the substance is present above the labelling level. It matters to people who know they react to it, and a dermatologist can tell you which names to avoid.

Are the 2023 names already on every EU label?

Not yet. New products placed on the EU market since 31 July 2026 must name them; products placed before that date may stay on sale with the earlier list until 31 July 2028.

Why does a US label say only “Fragrance”?

US rules let fragrance be listed as one word, because fragrance formulas are treated as trade secrets. The 2022 cosmetics law requires a rule on fragrance allergen labelling, which the FDA lists among the regulations it must still establish.

What do 0.001% and 0.01% mean?

They are the levels above which a listed fragrance allergen must be named: 0.001%, or 10 milligrams in a kilogram, in a leave-on product, and 0.01%, or 100 milligrams in a kilogram, in a rinse-off one. The label prints the name, not the amount.