Coumarin is an aromatic chemical, usually appearing as white flakes with a moderate sweet vanilla odour. This compound appears as a component of some of our fragrance blends.

Coumarin is a synthetic chemical produced for industry, however it can be found naturally in some plants and plant extracts, such as tonka bean (Dipteryx odorata) and various species of cinnamon. This ingredient often appears in fragrances, either as a synthetic additive used as a fixative to help preserve the longevity of a fragrance, or as a natural component of the essential oils used in the fragrance.

Studies indicate a small percentage of people can be sensitive to this ingredient, which is why we list in when it's detected in our fragrances, though it only appears at very low concentrations, within the safe use defined by the International Fragrance Association (IFRA). The IFRA is a self-regulatory representative body of the fragrance industry, dedicated to promoting the safe use of fragrances.

Other names: C₉H₆O₂, Tonka Bean Camphor, 2H-1-Benzopyran-2-one, 2H-chromen-2-one, Coumarine

Chemical class: Heterocyclic Compounds

REFERENCES

Adelia C. Bovell-Benjamin, Jerry Roberts. Chapter 13 - Naturally Occurring Toxicants: Presence in Selected Commonly Consumed Fruits. Editor(s): Vishweshwaraiah Prakash, Olga Martín-Belloso, Larry Keener, Siân Astley, Susanne Braun, Helena McMahon, Huub Lelieveld, Regulating Safety of Traditional and Ethnic Foods, Academic Press, 2016, Pages 247-282, ISBN 9780128006054, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-800605-4.00013-X.

International Fragrance Association Standard (2020). Coumarin. Retrieved on September 29, 2021 from https://ifrafragrance.org/standards/IFRA_STD_023.pdf

National Center for Biotechnology Information (2021). PubChem Compound Summary for CID 323, Coumarin. Retrieved September 30, 2021 from https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Coumarin.