Farnesol can be found in certain single ingredient essential oils mentioned above but is also used in fragrance and perfume products. Farnesol will be listed on cosmetic and skincare products like lotions, moisturisers, creams, face washes, serums and more if they are formulated using essential oils which contain Farnesol.

Farnesol occurs naturally in essential oils.

Farnesol is being researched by the Environmental Protection Agency as a potentially non-toxic, 100% biodegradable pesticide for sustainable food crop management.

EU regulations specify that certain fragrance oils commonly found in natural essential oils must be labelled separately on ingredient lists on cosmetic product labels. The EU governing bodies specify this because they are recognised as potential allergens which can irritate sensitive skin. Farnesol is one of these and as such it’s always best to perform a patch test to determine if a product containing it is compatible with your skin.