What is it?
An essential oil distilled from the flowering herbs of lavandin, Lavandula x intermedia (labeled Lavandula hybrida), a hybrid of true lavender and spike lavender. Like lavender oil, it is made up mostly of linalool and linalyl acetate, but it contains much more camphor and 1,8-cineole. It is one of the most widely used fragrance materials and is also a food flavoring.
Key information
- The main grades of lavandin oil contain 24 to 38 percent linalool, 20 to 38 percent linalyl acetate, 4 to 11 percent 1,8-cineole and 6 to 11 percent camphor.
- The SCCS classifies lavandin oil as an established contact allergen in humans because of its content of well-known allergens.
- New products placed on the EU market since August 2026 must declare lavandin or lavender oil as Lavandula Oil/Extract above 0.001 percent in leave-on or 0.01 percent in rinse-off products.
- Lavandin oil is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the FDA as a food flavoring.
More information
Lavandin is a cross between true lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) and spike lavender (Lavandula latifolia). Its oil comes mainly in two grades, abrial and grosso; a third, called super, is higher in linalyl acetate and closer to lavender oil. The biggest difference from lavender oil is camphor: lavandin oils contain 6 to 11 percent, compared with 0.5 percent or less in lavender oil.
The EU’s Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) reviewed lavandin oil in its 2012 opinion on fragrance allergens. Patch-test data were limited: one study found 1 reaction among 200 patients, a later one found 4 among 86 patients already allergic to a standard fragrance mix, and a German study of 205 patients found none at 1 and 5 percent. Because the oil is rich in known allergens, the SCCS still classed it as an established contact allergen, and the EU now requires it on labels.
The main allergy concern is oxidation. Linalool and linalyl acetate react with air to form hydroperoxides, which are strong skin sensitizers. A study of lavender oil, which shares these main components, found that the oil has no natural protection against this process and becomes a stronger sensitizer after air exposure, and that people allergic to oxidized linalool reacted to air-exposed lavender oil. Keep lavandin products tightly closed. If you are allergic to lavender or linalool, look for Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Lavandula Oil/Extract, Linalool and Linalyl Acetate on labels. See also our Lavender Oil profile.
Sources: SCCS: Opinion on fragrance allergens in cosmetic products (2012); EUR-Lex: Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 on labelling of fragrance allergens; Contact Dermatitis (2008): Lavender oil lacks natural protection against autoxidation, forming strong contact allergens on air exposure; Cornell LII: 21 CFR 182.20, Essential oils, oleoresins (solvent-free), and natural extractives
