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Hydroxycitronellal

What Hydroxycitronellal is & what it does

A sweet, floral fragrance compound used in scent blends. It is a recognized fragrance allergen.

What is Hydroxycitronellal and what does it do in sunscreen?

Hydroxycitronellal is a fragrance compound with a sweet, soft floral scent, used to build the smell of a product. In sunscreen it is purely there for fragrance and has no role in sun protection or texture. It is a recognized fragrance allergen, so when it is present the label must declare it by name in the EU.

Is Hydroxycitronellal safe?

For most people, yes, at the low levels used in cosmetics. The one important caveat is that it is an established fragrance allergen: a minority of people can develop contact sensitivity to it, which is why regulators require it to be listed separately on the label. If you have known fragrance allergies or reactive skin, you may prefer to avoid it. For everyone else it is generally well tolerated.

Why is Hydroxycitronellal listed separately on the label?

Because it is one of the fragrance allergens that EU rules require to be named individually rather than hidden under the word fragrance or parfum. This labelling exists so that people who are sensitive to it can spot and avoid it. Seeing it called out is a transparency feature, not a sign the product is unsafe.

Is Hydroxycitronellal good for sensitive skin?

Not especially. As a known fragrance allergen, it is one of the ingredients sensitive and allergy-prone users often try to avoid, even though most people tolerate it fine. If your skin reacts easily or you have had fragrance reactions before, choosing a fragrance-free sunscreen is the safer route. For skin that tolerates fragrance well, it is generally not a problem.

Does Hydroxycitronellal clog pores?

Generally no. It is a volatile fragrance molecule used in trace amounts, not an oil or wax, so pore-clogging is not its concern. The relevant issue with Hydroxycitronellal is fragrance sensitivity rather than comedogenicity. If breakouts are your worry, look at the richer emollients in a formula instead.

Sunscreens with Hydroxycitronellal

We rate 176 sunscreens that contain it, showing the top 10 by overall score:

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