Moderate Fragrance NOAEL Data Sensitization Data Dermal Penetration

Citronellol

INCI: CITRONELLOL

CAS Number
106-22-9
Function
fragrance; antimicrobial
Safety Rating
MODERATE

Regulatory Status

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บ EU Status restricted
EU Max Conc. Declarable EU allergen; labelling required >10 ppm leave-on / >100 ppm rinse-off under Regulation (EU) 2023/1545; IFRA restrictions apply
๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ US Status permitted
US Notes Permitted; RIFM-assessed; naturally occurring in rose, geranium, and citrus oils

For full compliance data across 55 jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.

Safety Data

Margin of Safety (MoS)
not established
Dermal Absorption
moderate
Sensitization
moderate

Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.

Toxicological Studies

4 study endpoints found for Citronellol. NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) values are used to calculate the Margin of Safety per SCCS methodology.

Endpoint Value Route Species Study Type Source
NOAEL 1000 mg/kg bw/day oral mouse oral REACH
NOEL >10000 ppm oral rat oral REACH
NOAEL 2000 mg/kg bw/day oral rat oral REACH
NOEL 51 mg/kg bw/day oral rat oral REACH

Sensitization Profile

Contact sensitization data for Citronellol based on clinical patch test studies and IFRA standards.

Sensitization Rate
low
Allergen Class
fragrance
EU Allergen Listed
yes
Patch Test Positive Rate
0.8%
Cross-reactivity Group
fragrance-mix-II
Reaction Type
contact-dermatitis
IFRA Restricted โ€” max 1.8% in finished products

Source: ESSCA/IVDK

Dermal Penetration Profile

Skin absorption and penetration characteristics of Citronellol, relevant to systemic exposure and MoS calculations.

Absorption %
16-28%
Penetration Level
epidermis
Penetration Depth
epidermis/dermis
Molecular Weight
156.3 Da
Log P
3.4
Systemic Absorption
yes
Topical Bioavailability
12-24%
Safety Margin Factor
high
Vehicle Dependent
Yes โ€” absorption varies by formulation

Source: SCCS/1459/11, IFRA

Expert Verdict

EU declarable fragrance allergen with mandatory labelling requirements above specified thresholds. Moderate sensitization potential with IFRA restrictions. Commonly found in rose, geranium, and citronella oils.

โš ๏ธ
Concern Level: Moderate

Regulatory Flags

allergen-eu sensitization-risk eu-labelling-required ifra-restricted original-26-allergen eu_children_restricted epa_safer_alternative ifra_fragrance fda_food_additive

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Citronellol safe in cosmetics?

EU declarable fragrance allergen with mandatory labelling requirements above specified thresholds. Moderate sensitization potential with IFRA restrictions. Commonly found in rose, geranium, and citronella oils. The EU classifies Citronellol as "restricted". Safety rating: MODERATE. 4 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.

Is Citronellol allowed in the EU?

Citronellol EU regulatory status: restricted. Maximum allowed concentration: Declarable EU allergen; labelling required >10 ppm leave-on / >100 ppm rinse-off under Regulation (EU) 2023/1545; IFRA restrictions apply. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.

What does Citronellol do in cosmetics?

Citronellol functions as: fragrance; antimicrobial. It is classified as a Fragrance in our database. CAS number: 106-22-9.

What is the Margin of Safety for Citronellol?

not established The Margin of Safety (MoS) is calculated using SCCS methodology. A MoS above 100 is generally considered safe. Use the MoS Calculator tool to calculate MoS for your specific formulation and product category.

What is the NOAEL for Citronellol?

The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Citronellol is 1000 mg/kg bw/day based on a oral study via oral route in mouse. A total of 4 study endpoints are available. Source: REACH.

๐Ÿ“ฑ

Is Citronellol in Your Products?

Scan any product label with Piro โ€” our free ingredient scanner. Point your camera at the ingredients list and get instant safety scores for every ingredient.

Try Piro Free โ†’

Analyze Your Full Ingredient List

Paste any INCI list into the Decoder for instant safety analysis, or calculate the Margin of Safety for Citronellol in your formulation.