Farnesol
Farnesol
- Role
- A scent molecule that also serves as a deodorant ingredient in deodorants.
- Catalog formulas
- 3
- Type
- Scent
- Verified
- 09.11.2026
What does this ingredient do in an antiperspirant?
According to CosIng, it functions as a perfuming and deodorant ingredient. The SCCS describes farnesol as an acyclic sesquiterpene alcohol found in essential oils such as lemongrass, citronella, tuberose, sandalwood and orange blossom, and notes that it is used not only for its scent but also for its slight antimicrobial activity, for example in deodorants.
Part of a system, not a label in isolation
In a deodorant it can contribute both to the scent and to odor control, but it does not reduce sweating. If farnesol is named separately in the list, its concentration is above the allergen labelling threshold.
In the EU it is on the list of fragrance allergens (Regulation 1223/2009, Annex III, entry 82): it must be named separately in the ingredient list above 0.001% in leave-on and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
The 2012 SCCS opinion lists it as an established contact allergen in humans: 101–1,000 positive reactions have been reported, which places it among the allergens of special concern. In the IVDK 2003 study, 0.9% of 4,238 consecutively tested patients reacted; the SCCS notes that because of its use in deodorants, dermatitis in the armpit is a typical presentation.
It is not the same as Parfum: farnesol can be part of a fragrance, but above the labelling threshold it is listed as a separate entry. Nor is it an antiperspirant active: unlike aluminum salts, it does not affect sweat release.
Products containing Farnesol
Links are based on the complete published INCI list for the exact product version.
Sources
The conclusions apply to the stated conditions and jurisdictions, not automatically to every concentration or product.
- EU CosIng: Farnesol Supports: function, substance identity
- CosIng Checker: Annex III, entry 82 (Farnesol) Supports: restrictions, allergen labelling
- SCCS/1459/11: Opinion on fragrance allergens in cosmetic products Supports: origin, use in deodorants, allergenicity assessment
- COSMILE Europe (CosIng data): Farnesol Supports: function, allergen labelling