Flowers on the labels of creams and toners look persuasive: rose, calendula, chamomile, lavender. But the picture does not tell you how much of the flower is in the product or why it is there. Here is how to find plants in an ingredient list, what they usually add and what people with sensitive skin should watch for.
Real flowers instead of a picture on a jar: peony-style roses and flowers for a friend.
Cosmetic ingredients are listed using the international INCI system: plants appear under their Latin name with the part and form — extract, water, oil. Ingredients are listed in descending order of concentration, while those under 1% may appear in any order. If a flower extract sits at the very end of the list, there is not much of it.
Flower extracts and essential oils can cause irritation and allergy. People allergic to plants in the daisy family, such as ragweed, sometimes react to chamomile or calendula too. In the EU, fragrance components such as linalool, limonene and geraniol must be listed above certain concentrations, so they are easy to spot. It is sensible to patch-test a new product first and see a dermatologist if you react.
Where flower scent comes from and what linalool is: why do flowers smell; aloe gel without myths: aloe in a pot; and the most fragrant blooms: the most fragrant flowers.
Better not: cut flowers for bouquets may be treated with plant-protection products not intended for skin contact.
Flower water (hydrosol) is much gentler, containing only traces of aromatic compounds, whereas essential oil is concentrated.
Author: Maria Svitlovir
Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.
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