TERPINEOL
Terpineol is a mixture of related monoterpene alcohols, including alpha-, beta- and gamma-terpineol isomers. They share the same molecular basis but differ in the placement of some bonds, so the name on an ingredient list covers closely related compounds rather than one single pure substance.
TERPINEOL: what it is
Terpineol is a mixture of related monoterpene alcohols, including alpha-, beta- and gamma-terpineol isomers. They share the same molecular basis but differ in the placement of some bonds, so the name on an ingredient list covers closely related compounds rather than one single pure substance.
Alpha-terpineol is known to occur in pine oils and can also be made industrially from terpene raw materials. Even so, TERPINEOL alone does not reveal whether a particular product used essential-oil material or an industrial route, nor the proportion of each isomer in the mixture.
TERPINEOL: what it does in cosmetics
Terpineol is used to perfume a cosmetic product. In practical terms, it forms part of the scent composition in products such as soaps, lotions and hair care, contributing to the smell noticed during use; this is an olfactory role, not a skin-treatment claim.
In the European Union, terpineol is among the fragrance substances that must be individually named in the ingredient list above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products. Those figures are labelling thresholds, not maximum use levels or a measure of how strong the fragrance will smell.
TERPINEOL: conditions and care
In the European Union, terpineol must be individually named in the ingredient list above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
Restrictions and conditions of use
Products containing this ingredient
See which products include it and the name used in each composition.
