Inhaltsstoff
*Pinene
Nutzen
Natürlich
It’s pretty much in the name: pine(ne) is the main component of many extracts from coniferous trees, to which it imparts a fresh, woody, and resinous fragrance.
Natural pinene comes in two forms: alpha- and beta-pinene. Both possess a fresh, woody aroma, but alpha-pinene is more earthy than beta-pinene, which is slightly citrusy.
In which essential oil can pinene occur?
Pinene occurs in pines, of course, as well as firs, spruces and all that needle-y jazz. But it’s also found in rosemary, cistus, St. John’s wort, tea tree, hemp and cannabis, among others.
What are the benefits of pinene?
Originally working as an insect repellent for trees and other plants, pinene also has relaxing properties when inhaled, particularly alpha-pinene. This could be one of the many reasons why walks in the forest are so beneficial to our well-being!
Why does this appear in my list of ingredients?
Pinene, 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 pinene, 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. *Pinene). When added to a formula in a synthetic form, it is listed in black, without an asterisk.