lavender extract and oil. Primarily a fragrance ingredient, although it may have antibacterial properties. There is no research showing it has any benefit for skin (Sources:
Phytotherapy Research, June 2002, pages 301–308; and
Healthnotes Review of Complementary and Integrative Medicine, ). It can be a skin irritant (Source:
Contact Dermatitis, August 1999, page 111) and a photosensitizer (Source:
Family Practice Notebook, ). Research also indicates that components of lavender, specifically linalool, can be cytotoxic, meaning that topical application causes skin-cell death (Source:
Cell Proliferation, June 2004, pages 221-229). In addition, the fragrance constituents in lavender oil oxidize when exposed to air. This not only makes lavender oil pro-oxidant, but also increases its irritancy on skin (Source:
Contact Dermatitis, September 2008, pages 143-150).
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