Hexyl Cinnamal

What it is

Hexyl cinnamal is a synthetic aldehyde with a soft jasmine and chamomile character, produced from benzaldehyde and octanal. It is one of the most heavily used fragrance materials worldwide and is a component of the fragrance mix II screening panel. It appears on many face-mask labels simply because it is a common building block of commercial fragrance blends.

What it does well

• Stable, low-cost floral note that survives harsh formulations

  It holds up well in soaps, cleansers and clay bases where more delicate florals degrade. This is a formulation advantage, not a skin benefit.

  Strong evidence

Worth knowing

• A declared allergen, though a comparatively infrequent one

  Despite being on the mandatory labelling list and in fragrance mix II, positive patch tests to hexyl cinnamal alone are uncommon, typically well under 1% of tested dermatitis patients. Its presence on a label is not a strong warning sign for most people.

  Matters most toPeople with a diagnosed fragrance allergy.

Where the EU stands