Ho Leaf Oil
Ho leaf oil
Genuinely relevant for some people, or depends on dose and pH.
Also written as: Ho Wood Oil · Cinnamomum Camphora Leaf Oil · Shiu Oil · Cinnamomum Camphora Linalooliferum Oil
What it is
Ho leaf oil comes from the linalool chemotype of Cinnamomum camphora and is typically 80 to 95% linalool, with very little camphor. It became widely used as a replacement for endangered Brazilian rosewood, which has a similar profile. Because it is essentially a natural source of a single molecule, its behaviour on skin is close to that of linalool itself.
What it does well
A sustainable alternative to rosewood oil
It supplies a comparable soft floral-woody linalool note without pressure on threatened Aniba rosaeodora populations. This is an environmental rather than a skin benefit.
Strong evidence
Worth knowing
Effectively a concentrated dose of linalool
Since the oil is up to 95% linalool, it carries the same oxidation problem: air exposure produces hydroperoxides that are among the most frequent fragrance allergens in Europe, with 7% of dermatitis patients reacting in Swedish data.
Matters most toPeople with a known linalool hydroperoxide allergy.
Where the EU stands
No specific restriction
Ho leaf oil is not itself on the Annex III fragrance-allergen labelling list, which names Cinnamomum Cassia Leaf Oil (entry 348) and Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Bark Oil (entry 349) but not the linalool chemotype of Cinnamomum camphora. Its linalool content must be declared as Linalool, Annex III entry 84, above the usual thresholds.