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Heliotropine

What Heliotropine is & what it does

Heliotropine, also called piperonal, is an aromatic aldehyde with a sweet, vanilla-like and floral (heliotrope) scent. In cosmetics and sunscreens it is used as a fragrance ingredient to give products a soft, powdery aroma. It is one of the classic components of many perfume accords and is commonly produced synthetically.

What does Heliotropine do in skincare?

Heliotropine is used as a fragrance ingredient. It adds a sweet, vanilla-like and floral scent to cosmetic and sunscreen products. It does not have a skincare function beyond contributing to a product's aroma.

Is Heliotropine natural or synthetic?

Heliotropine, also known as piperonal, occurs naturally in some plants but the material used in cosmetics is most often produced synthetically. Synthetic production gives a consistent, high-purity ingredient. Both forms are the same molecule.

Is Heliotropine safe?

Heliotropine is a commonly used fragrance compound in cosmetics. As with many fragrance ingredients, a small number of people may be sensitive to it, so a patch test can help if you have fragrance sensitivities. If you have a known fragrance allergy, review the ingredient list and consult a professional.

Sunscreens with Heliotropine

We rate 12 sunscreens that contain it, showing the top 10 by overall score:

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