Coumarin
Coumarin is a naturally occurring fragrant compound that gives many plants their sweet, hay-like or vanilla scent. In UK beauty products it is mainly used as a scent ingredient in perfumes, body lotions, shower gels and haircare to add a warm, comforting aroma. It is considered safe at the low levels used in cosmetics.
How it works in skincare
In cosmetics and skincare, coumarin functions primarily as a fragrance component rather than an active skincare ingredient. It blends beautifully with other scent notes to create sophisticated, long-lasting perfumes and adds a soft, powdery sweetness to body and hair products. Formulators value it for its excellent fixative properties that help anchor more volatile fragrance ingredients, ensuring the scent lasts longer on skin and hair.
Key benefits
- Adds a pleasant sweet, hay-like fragrance to products
- Acts as a natural fixative to improve scent longevity
- Enhances the overall sensory experience of skincare and haircare
- Provides a warm, comforting aroma in perfumes and lotions
- Blends well with floral, citrus and oriental fragrance families
- Used at safe, regulated levels in UK and EU cosmetic formulations
Best for
all skin types, sensitive skin, normal skin
Where it comes from
Coumarin is naturally found in many plants including tonka beans, sweet clover, lavender, cassia and cinnamon. It is usually obtained through solvent extraction or steam distillation from these botanical sources before being purified for use in fragrance.