Dwarf pine oil
None of the restricted materials in IFRA's annex limits this oil in rinse-off soap.
IFRA maximum for soap
no IFRA limit in soap
Restricted constituents, at the typical levels IFRA's annex gives:
- alpha-Cedrene
- 0.25 %
- Longifolene
- 0.15 %
Worked out from typical levels. A supplier's certificate for your lot comes first, and its figure is the one to follow.
Check a blend against its IFRA limits and list its allergens in the fragrance and allergen calculator.
How essential oils behave in soap, and how much to use: Scenting soap.
Identity and labelling
Pinus Mugo Leaf Oil
- Botanical name
- Pinus mugo
- CAS
- 90082-72-7, 8000-26-8
- EC
- 290-163-6
The EU names this oil itself as a fragrance allergen (Regulation (EU) 2023/1545, Annex III entry 109): it goes on the label by name above 0.01 % in a rinse-off product.
Annex III, entry 109: the peroxide value shall be less than 10 mmoles/L.
What it is and how it behaves in soap
Dwarf pine oil is steam-distilled from the fresh or partly dried branches of the mountain pine, Pinus mugo, a low, sprawling pine of the Alps (ISO 21093). It smells sweet, fresh and balsamic, softer than Scots pine.
Our books do not name dwarf pine, but they treat pine as a fresh, woody scent for seasonal blends (Letcavage and Harden; Fisher). Pine is a top note that thins out over the cure unless a base such as cedarwood or patchouli anchors it (Fisher). With no rate of its own in the books, start from Fisher's general 3.1 to 4.4 % of the oils. IFRA's annex lists dwarf pine needle oil under the mountain pine's CAS numbers (its botanical name there reads Pinus pumila), and nothing in it limits the oil in rinse-off soap.
Its pinene and carene oxidise in air, and oxidised terpenes are stronger skin sensitisers (SCCS); EU law admits the oil only while its peroxide value is low. Buy it fresh and keep it cool, full and closed.
Sources
- CosIng, the cosmetic ingredient database: PINUS MUGO LEAF OIL, European Commission
- Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 amending Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 as regards labelling of fragrance allergens in cosmetic products, European Commission. Annex, entry 109
- ISO 21093:2003, Oil of dwarf pine (Pinus mugo Turra), International Organization for Standardization (2003). Steam distillation of fresh or partly dried branches of Pinus mugo, mainly growing in the Alps; α-pinene and δ-3-carene among the main components
- Elizabeth Letcavage and Melissa Harden, Natural Soap Making, Stackpole Books (2013). Pine among the seasonal scents
- David Fisher, The Complete Photo Guide to Soap Making, Creative Publishing International (2018). Pine among the woodsy scents and the top notes; cedarwood and patchouli as anchoring base notes; starting rate of 0.5 to 0.7 oz per pound of oils
- Opinion on fragrance allergens in cosmetic products (SCCS/1459/11), Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety, European Commission (2012). Pinus mugo oil among the established contact allergens; oxidised fragrance terpenes are potent sensitisers
- Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products, Annexes II and III, via CosIng, European Commission. Annex III, entry 109: the peroxide value of Pinus mugo leaf and twig oil must be below 10 mmol/L