Inhaltsstoff
*Menthol
Nutzen
Natürlich
It’s fresh and exciting, for sure. Menthol is the main chemical compound of peppermint, giving the plant its pungent, fresh scent.
Not just a fragrance, menthol offers many benefits for the mind, skin, scalp and mouth. Refreshing, invigorating, cleansing… read more about menthol’s properties here.
Where does menthol occur?
Although menthol is primarily found naturally in peppermint, it can also occur at varying concentrations in numerous other herbs, such as Japanese mint (Mentha arvensis) and basil.
Why does this appear in my list of ingredients?
Menthol, alongside 79 other fragrance substances, has been identified as an allergen by the EU cosmetics regulations and other global bodies. This means that, whether natural or synthetic, it is more likely to cause allergic reactions in the form of skin sensitisation or irritation in susceptible individuals. In 2009, 26 materials (now 24 after lilial and lyral’s permanent ban) were identified as allergens and therefore had to be declared on product labels. 56 more have been added since, such as menthol, and should start appearing on labels in 2026, with a deadline of 2028.
While allergies affect only a small minority, it is still important to highlight the presence of allergens in products so that customers who may be more sensitive to them can make informed decisions. These substances are subject to restrictions to ensure their safe use in cosmetics. They must also appear on product labels when they occur above a certain limit: 0,001 % for leave-on products like moisturisers and 0,01 % for rinse-off products like shower gels.
At Lush, these substances can occur naturally in essential oils, absolutes, and resinoids, or may be added to support our fragrance formulas. To help customers better understand what's in their products, we've colour-coded our ingredients on the labels. When obtained from natural sources, the allergen is in green text. When naturally occurring in an ingredient such as an essential oil, it is listed in green, preceded by an asterisk (e.g. *Menthol). When added to a formula in a synthetic form, it is listed in black, without an asterisk.