“Coumarin?”Here!
Hasn’t appeared in a scanned product yet.
In personal care
A fragrance compound with a sweet, hay-like scent, naturally present in tonka bean and sweet woodruff, and also made synthetically.
Why it’s used
It adds warmth and a vanilla-hay character to fragrance compositions.
What the evidence says
Coumarin is on the EU's list of fragrance allergens because of documented cases of skin sensitization. Separately, ingested coumarin at high doses has raised liver-toxicity concerns in oral exposure studies, which is why it is restricted in food, but that pathway is not the basis for its cosmetic-labeling requirement.
Context
EU labeling rules require it to be named on the ingredient list above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
Rumors
Coumarin can cause cancer.
Unresolvedhealth and safety evidence
Measured as an outcome.
- Coumarin (IARC Summary & Evaluation, Volume 77, 2000) (Regulatory) · Funding not checked
Who’s saying this
- cosmeticsdesign.com — we couldn’t open the site to see who runs it
Coumarin in cosmetics can cause liver damage.
Does not support — suggestivehealth and safety evidence
Measured as an outcome.
- Safety review - Coumarin for use in topical listed medicines (Regulatory) · Funding not checked
Who’s saying this
- cosmeticsdesign.com — we couldn’t open the site to see who runs it
Coumarin in personal care products causes allergies and contact dermatitis.
Supports — suggestivehealth and safety evidence
Studied in: patients with suspected fragrance contact allergy or prior perfume sensitization patch-tested with coumarin.
Measured as an outcome.
- Opinion on Coumarin (sensitisation only) (Regulatory) · Funding not checked
Who’s saying this
- ewg.org — we couldn’t open the site to see who runs it
Exposure to coumarin in the womb causes behavioural problems in children.
Not gradedhealth and safety evidence
Sources cited — no verdict reached.
What was measured is not yet noted.
- Coumarins during pregnancy: long-term effects on growth and development of school-age children (Peer-reviewed) · Funding not checked
- Coumarin (IARC Summary & Evaluation, Volume 77, 2000) (Regulatory) · Funding not checked
Who’s saying this
- cosmeticsdesign.com — we couldn’t open the site to see who runs it
Coumarin in skincare soothes skin by reducing inflammation.
Not gradedhealth and safety evidence
Sources cited — no verdict reached.
What was measured is not yet noted.
- Comparative study of the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of the natural coumarins 1,2-benzopyrone, umbelliferone and esculetin: in silico, in vitro and in vivo analyses (Peer-reviewed) · Funding not checked
- Benzopyrones for reducing and controlling lymphoedema of the limbs (Peer-reviewed) · Funding not checked
Who’s saying this
- Skintique — a retailer: sells professional skincare brands as an authorised UK stockist
How we know who this is
- “Skintique is now an authorised UK stockist of Revision Skincare.” (their page)