

LIMONENE may be an impurity the following product types:
lip balm (92)
moisturizer (67)
body wash/cleanser (54)
shampoo (51)
lip gloss (45)
exfoliant/scrub (45)
bar soap (44)
toothpaste (42)
foot moisturizer (40)
bath oil/salts/soak (36)
facial moisturizer/treatment (34)
facial cleanser (31)
conditioner (28)
body oil (28)
hand cream (22)
sunscreen: lip balm (22)




DL-LIMONENE; D,L-LIMONENE (ISOMER UNSPECIFIED) ; DL-LIMONENE (RACEMIC) ; 1-METHYL-4-ISOPROPENPYLCYCLOHEXENE; 1-METHYL-4- (1-METHYLETHENYL) CYCLOHEXENE; DIPENTENE; LIMONENE ESSENTIAL OIL; (+) -4-ISOPROPENYL-1-METHYLCYCLOHEXENE; (+) -R-LIMONENE; (-) -LIMONENE; (S) -LIMONENE


Given the incomplete information made available by companies and the government, EWG provides additional information on personal care product ingredients from the published scientific literature. The chart below indicates that research studies have found that exposure to this ingredient -- not the products containing it -- caused the indicated health effect(s) in the studies reviewed by Skin Deep researchers. Actual health risks, if any, will vary based on the level of exposure to the ingredient and individual susceptibility -- information not available in Skin Deep.
| This ingredient: | |
![]() | Cancer |
![]() | Developmental/reproductive toxicity |
![]() | Violations, restrictions & warnings |
![]() | Allergies/immunotoxicity |
![]() | Contamination concerns |
![]() | Other strong concerns for this ingredient: Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) |
![]() | Lesser or emerging concerns for this ingredient: Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Ecotoxicology, Data gaps, Occupational hazards |
|
See products containing LIMONENE See ingredients that may have LIMONENE as an impurity See products that may have LIMONENE as an impurity | |
LIMONENE has reported used in the following product types: facial moisturizer/treatment (182); hair color and bleaching (163); moisturizer (153); lip gloss (109); fragrance for women (104); styling gel/lotion (93); conditioner (86); anti-aging (80); body wash/cleanser (78); shampoo (63)
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Known human immune system toxicant | National Library of Medicine HazMap | |
| Possible human immune system toxicant | EU Banned and Restricted Fragrances | |
| Limited evidence of immune system toxicity | products for use on skin | European Union - Classification & Labelling |
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Recommended restricted in cosmetics - use, concentration, or manufacturing restrictions - Fragrance subject to restrictions: safe only if satisfies manufacturing specifications or purity limits, according to industry safety panel (International Fragrance Association) | International Fragrance Association Codes & Standards |
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells show positive mutation results | RTECS®- Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis 2001 | |
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| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Classified as irritant | European Union - Classification & Labelling | |
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| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| One or more animal studies show developmental effects at high doses | Kodama R, Okubo A,Araki E,Noda K,Ide H, Ikeda T, 1977 |
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| One or more animal studies show broad systemic effects at high doses (low dose studies may be unavailable for this ingredient) | RTECS®- Food and Cosmetics Toxicology 1974 | |
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| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Wildlife and environmental toxicity | European Union - Classification & Labelling | |
| show more | ||
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Not assessed for safety in cosmetics by industry panel | ||
| 550 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemical see search results -> | PubMed |
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Not suspected to be persistent | Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | |
| show more | ||
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Occupational hazards related to handling | European Union - Classification & Labelling |
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food | FDA Everything Added to Food |
| government/industry list/academic study | appears on list as | classification(s) |
| European Union - Classification & Labelling | DIPENTENE | •Flammable •Irritant (eyes, skin, or lungs) •Irritating to skin •May cause sensitization by skin contact •Dangerous for the environment •Very toxic to aquatic organisms |
| Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics | LIMONENE | • S |
| FDA Everything Added to Food | D-LIMONENE | • Fully up-to-date toxicology information has been sought. |
| Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | CYCLOHEXENE, 1-METHYL-4-(1-METHYLETHENYL)- | •This chemical was NOT flagged by CEPA for further attention. The chemical was flagged for as a low human health priority. |
| EU Banned and Restricted Fragrances | LIMONENE | Fragrance chemical, which is less frequently reported and thus less documented as a consumer allergen. |
| IFRA Fragrance Ingredient List | DL-LIMONENE (RACEMIC) | •The chemical has been reported as used in fragrance compounds by IFRA affiliated member companies in 2008. |
| National Library of Medicine HazMap | D-LIMONENE | •Skin Sensitizer - An agent that can induce an allergic reaction in the skin or lungs: Yes; |
| Int'l Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) - Carcinogens | D-LIMONENE | •IARC Group 3 (no cancer link) |
| International Fragrance Association Codes & Standards | LIMONENE | •Fragrance subject to restrictions: safe only if satisfies manufacturing specifications or purity limitation |
| Kodama R, Okubo A,Araki E,Noda K,Ide H, Ikeda T, 1977 | D-LIMONENE | Developmental toxicity (significant increase in the number of fetuses with skeletal abnormalities, including lumbar ribs, fused ribs, and delayed ossification of several bones in the paws) were observed in the animals administered 2363 mg/kg/day. |
| RTECS®- Drug Design and Delivery (Chur Harwood Academic) V 1990 | LIMONENE | • skin - Primary skin irritant (rabbit ) |
| RTECS®- Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis 2001 | LIMONENE | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Morphological Transform (mouse fbr) |
| RTECS®- Food and Cosmetics Toxicology 1974 | LIMONENE | • broad systemic - Broad systemic toxicity (rat LD50) • skin - Primary skin irritant (rabbit ) |
| RTECS®- Food and Cosmetics Toxicology 1978 | LIMONENE | • skin - Primary skin irritant (rabbit ) |
| RTECS®- Toxicologist 2003 | LIMONENE | • skin - Primary skin irritant (rat ) |
| government/industry list/academic study | reference |
| European Union - Classification & Labelling | CPS&Q (Consumer Products Safety & Quality) formely known as ECB (European Chemicals Bureau). 2008. Classification and Labelling: Chemicals: Annex VI of Directive 67/548/EEC through the 31st ATP. |
| Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics | AOEC (Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics). 2009. AEOC exposures codes and asthmagen designation. |
| FDA Everything Added to Food | FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration). 2008. EAFUS [Everything Added to Food]: A Food Additive Database. FDA Office of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. |
| Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry. |
| EU Banned and Restricted Fragrances | SCCPNFP (Scientific Committee On Cosmetic Products And Non-Food Products). 1999. Opinion Concerning Fragrance Allergy In Consumers. . SCCNFP/0017/98 Final, December 1999; and SCCPNFP (Scientific Committee On Cosmetic Products And Non-Food Products). 2000. An Initial List Of Perfumery Materials Which Must Not Form Part Of Fragrances Compounds Used In Cosmetic Products. SCCNFP/0320/00, final May 2000. |
| IFRA Fragrance Ingredient List | IFRA (International Fragrance Assocication). 2010. IFRA Fragrance Ingredient List based on 2008 Use Survey. Accessed online 01/04/2010: http://www.ifraorg.org/Home/News/Latest-News/page.aspx/66?xf_itemId=43&xf_selectionDatapartId=25 |
| National Library of Medicine HazMap | NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2006. HazMap — Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Agents. |
| Int'l Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) - Carcinogens | IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer). 2008. Overall Evaluations of Carcinogenicity to Humans, as evaluated in IARC Monographs Volumes 1-99 (a total of 935 agents, mixtures and exposures). |
| International Fragrance Association Codes & Standards | IFRA (International Fragrance Association). 2006. Codes and Standards. |
| Open scientific literature | Kodama R, Okubo A,Araki E,Noda K,Ide H, Ikeda T. Studies on d-limonene as a gallstone solubilizer. (VII). Effects on development of mouse fetuses and offsprings 1977; Oyo Yakuri. 13(6): 863-873. |
| RTECS®- Drug Design and Delivery (Chur Harwood Academic) V 1990 | RTECS®- Drug Design and Delivery (Chur Harwood Academic) V.1- 6,229,1990 |
| RTECS®- Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis 2001 | RTECS®- Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis. (Alan R. Liss, Inc., 41 E. 11th St., New York, NY 10003) V.10- 37,231,2001 |
| RTECS®- Food and Cosmetics Toxicology 1974 | RTECS®- Food and Cosmetics Toxicology. (London, UK) V.1-19, 1963-81. For publisher information, see FCTOD7. 12,703,1974 |
| RTECS®- Food and Cosmetics Toxicology 1978 | RTECS®- Food and Cosmetics Toxicology. (London, UK) V.1-19, 1963-81. For publisher information, see FCTOD7. 16,809,1978 |
| RTECS®- Toxicologist 2003 | RTECS®- Toxicologist. (Soc. of Toxicology, Inc., 475 Wolf Ledge Parkway, Akron, OH 44311) V.1- 1981- 72,379,2003 |
"RTECS®" is a United States trademark owned and licensed under authority of the U.S. Government, by and through MDL Information Systems, Inc.
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