Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil

What it is

Lavender oil is steam-distilled from the flowering tops of Lavandula angustifolia. It is dominated by linalool and linalyl acetate, which together often make up 60 to 80% of the oil. It is used in masks almost entirely for its scent and its association with relaxation, rather than for any established effect on the skin barrier.

What it does well

• Provides a familiar calming scent

  Inhaled lavender has modest evidence for reducing self-reported anxiety in short-term studies. That is a scent effect, and it applies to the experience of using the product rather than to the skin.

  Moderate evidence

• Has mild antibacterial activity in the laboratory

  Lavender oil inhibits some bacteria in vitro, but not at the fractions of a per cent typically used in cosmetics. It should not be relied on as an acne treatment or a preservative.

  Limited evidence

Worth knowing

• Lavender oil lacks natural antioxidant protection and oxidises quickly

  Research shows lavender oil autoxidises readily on air exposure, converting its linalool and linalyl acetate into hydroperoxides that are strong sensitisers in standard assays. This is a specific, documented property of lavender rather than a general essential-oil caveat.

  Matters most toAnyone using lavender-scented products long-term or from a long-opened container.

• A measurable rate of contact allergy in dermatitis patients

  Patch testing with oxidised lavender oil found positive reactions in 2.8% of consecutive patients, and only 56% of those also reacted to oxidised linalool or linalyl acetate, so testing the individual components misses nearly half the cases. In large North American and Central European series, lavender oil itself gave positive reactions in around 0.3%.

  Matters most toPeople with facial or eyelid dermatitis of unclear cause.

• The gynaecomastia claim is weak evidence, not established fact

  Case reports have proposed a link between topical lavender and tea tree oils and temporary breast tissue growth in prepubertal boys. The evidence is limited to uncontrolled reports and has not been confirmed in controlled human studies at cosmetic exposure levels.

  Matters most toParents who have encountered this claim; worth knowing, not worth alarm.

Where the EU stands

Sources (3)

Every link goes to the original: a journal, a PubMed record or an EU document.

1. [1]
   Lavender oil lacks natural protection against autoxidation, forming strong contact allergens on air exposure

   Contact Dermatitis · 2008 · doi:10.1111/j.1600-0536.2008.01402.x

   Unlike some other essential oils, lavender oil has no natural antioxidant protection and forms strongly sensitising hydroperoxides of linalool and linalyl acetate when exposed to air.

2. [2]
   Patch Testing with Main Sensitizers Does Not Detect All Cases of Contact Allergy to Oxidized Lavender Oil

   Acta Dermato-Venereologica · 2016 · doi:10.2340/00015555-2319

   2.8% of consecutive patients reacted to oxidised lavender oil, and only 56% of them also reacted to oxidised linalool or linalyl acetate, so testing the components alone misses many cases.

3. [3]
   Positive Patch-Test Reactions to Essential Oils in Consecutive Patients From North America and Central Europe

   Dermatitis · 2017 · doi:10.1097/DER.0000000000000293

   In 62,354 patients, 18.6% reacted to at least one fragrance marker or essential oil; lavender oil and tea tree oil each gave about 0.3% positives in the North American series.