What is it?
An essential oil obtained from the leaves of the Mediterranean cypress, Cupressus sempervirens, an evergreen conifer. It is made up mostly of monoterpenes, chiefly alpha-pinene and delta-3-carene. The EU ingredient database lists it as a fragrance and skin-conditioning ingredient in cosmetics.
Key information
- In a 2023 analysis, cypress leaf oil was about 41 percent alpha-pinene and 24 percent delta-3-carene.
- EU rules require cypress oils used in cosmetics to have a peroxide value below 10 mmol/L, a limit on oxidation products that applies to the oil itself rather than the finished product.
- The SCCS classifies alpha- and beta-pinene as established contact allergens and describes delta-3-carene as one of the main allergens in turpentine.
- Cypress leaf oil is not on the EU list of fragrance allergens that must be named on labels.
More information
Cypress leaf oil is a terpene-rich oil. In a 2023 analysis of a commercial leaf oil, monoterpene hydrocarbons made up about 91 percent: alpha-pinene 40.5 percent, delta-3-carene 24.4 percent, alpha-terpinolene 8.6 percent and limonene 4.3 percent, with a little cedrol. The authors note that leaf oils of this species are consistently dominated by alpha-pinene and delta-3-carene, while the minor components vary with growing region, plant part and extraction method.
Terpenes like these can oxidize on exposure to air, and the EU’s Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) notes that the oxidation products of several common fragrance terpenes are potent skin sensitizers. EU cosmetics rules adopted in 2013 therefore require cypress oils and extracts to have a peroxide value below 10 mmol/L; the limit applies to the oil itself, not the finished product. The SCCS classifies alpha- and beta-pinene as established contact allergens in humans and describes delta-3-carene as one of the main allergenic compounds in turpentine.
The SCCS did not evaluate cypress oil itself, it is not among the fragrance allergens the EU requires on labels, and we found no Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) or other formal safety assessment of it as a cosmetic ingredient. Keeping products tightly closed limits contact with air and slows oxidation. If you know you react to turpentine or pine-scented products, check labels for Cupressus Sempervirens Leaf Oil.
Sources: European Commission CosIng: Cupressus Sempervirens Leaf Oil; European Commission CosIng: Cupressus sempervirens oil and extract (Annex III/123); SCCS: Opinion on fragrance allergens in cosmetic products (2012); Plants (2023): Biological activity of Cupressus sempervirens essential oil
