Chapter 8: Fragrance · Part 1: The listed fragrance allergens
Lilial
- Officially classed skin allergen
- Contaminant risk
The worst fact: it's classed in the EU as may damage fertility. It was banned from EU cosmetics on 1 March 2022, and California bans it in cosmetics from 1 January 2027. Europe's safety committee says it's also used in household cleaners and detergents.
Why brands use it: it smells of lily of the valley.
Take care if: you're pregnant or trying to be, or have a fragrance allergy.
Comes from: made in a factory.
Myth check: "it's banned, so it's gone": the EU cosmetics ban doesn't cover cleaning products. EU chemicals law bars it at 0.3% or more in other products sold to the public, and the fragrance industry's own standard bans it in lip and mouth products and caps it in everything else.
Contaminants: a closely related form (the meta-isomer), which one maker (BASF) classes as "may damage the unborn child". BASF keeps it under 0.1%.
Fair to say: the fertility rating comes from rat studies.
Correct as of November 2026. What the badges mean
Sources
- Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS). Opinion on fragrance allergens in cosmetic products, SCCS/1459/11 (2012); opinion on butylphenyl methylpropional (Lilial), SCCS/1591/17; opinion on benzyl salicylate, SCCS/1656/23. health.ec.europa.eu
- European Commission. Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009 Annexes II and III; Regulations (EU) 2017/1410 (HICC, atranol, chloroatranol), 2020/1182 (CLP: Lilial Repr. 1B), 2021/1902 (Lilial ban), 2023/1545 (fragrance allergen labelling), 2026/909 (benzyl salicylate). eur-lex.europa.eu
- Safe Work Australia. Hazardous Chemical Information System (HCIS). hcis.safeworkaustralia.gov.au
- California Health and Safety Code §108954–108956 (Cleaning Product Right to Know Act); Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act (as amended by AB 60, 2025).
The full source list is at the end of Chapter 8.