What the heck is it? Is it dangerous? Find out here…
If you see the name “geraniol” on your skin creams or moisturizing lotion, you may be a bit worried. After all, you have no idea what this geraniol in beauty products really is or what it can do. Are you at risk of health problems with this ingredient, or is it safe?
Thankfully, you’ll find that geraniol in your beauty products is one of the safer ingredients on the list, and you can use these products without fear of health problems!
What is the Geraniol in Beauty Products
Does the name “geraniol” sound familiar? It sounds a bit like “geranium” doesn’t it? That’s because it is an oil that is derived from a number of plants, including geraniums!
Geraniol comes from more than just geraniums, but it is a fragrance compound that is found in citronella, oil, rose oil, and lemon essential oil. The oil has a clear to pale yellow color, and if you take a whiff of the stuff, you’ll find that it smells a lot like rose oil. In fact, it’s hard to distinguish between the two, though geraniol has a slightly tangier smell–just like the flowers!
Geraniol is added to your beauty products in order to give it a beautiful floral scent. It’s not just used for floral scents, though, but it’s also an ingredient in flavors like blueberry, pineapple, peach, and watermelon.
READ MORE: Silicone in Beauty Products: Worse Than You Think?
When it comes to geraniol in beauty products, you’ll find the stuff all over the place. It’s in your:
- Favorite shampoo
- Bubble bath soap
- Body wash and other bath products
- Lipsticks and lip glosses
- Colognes and perfumes
- Sun tan lotions, oils, and other tanning products
- Skin care products like moisturizing lotions and anti-aging serums
Basically, if it smells like roses but has a bit more tang to it, it probably contains geraniol.
But here’s the big question: is geraniol dangerous? Should you be worried if you find geraniol in your beauty products?
The answer is: probably not.
There is a very small risk of using geraniol, as it is a known allergen and toxicant. It has been banned in the European Union, and is on the list of restricted fragrances due to the fact that it is known to cause skin and lung irritation. However, that is fairly common with natural oils. If you are allergic to it, you’ll likely break out in a rash. If not, there’s nothing to worry about.
It is also known as an environmental toxin, but only if concentrated and used in high dosages. Considering how little geraniol is actually added to your beauty products, you have very little to worry about.
The good thing is that it’s not known to cause toxicity or damage to your internal organs. It may be a strong, fragrant compound, but it shouldn’t harm your liver, kidneys, or nervous system like many of the synthetic chemicals used to make your beauty products.
So what does all this mean for you? Should you use geraniol products, or avoid them completely?
In the end, it’s up to you. You know the risks of products that contain geraniol, so you need to consider how it will affect you. If you find that the skincare products don’t cause any negative reaction to your skin or lungs, you should have no problem using anything that contains geraniol. The natural compound does add a beautiful fragrance to whatever products it is added to, so you should consider it. It’s much better than the synthetic, potentially harmful chemicals used in many of the products on the market!
