Isoeugenol

Isoeugenol is a fragrance and flavoring primarily used in perfumery, personal care products, over-the-counter medicines, and foods.

Skin contact with isoeugenol is required for it to cause a rash. Discontinuation of exposure to products containing isoeugenol should result in improvement and/or resolution of your dermatitis. By law, all products made in the U.S. for topical use have the ingredients listed either on the product package or the box that contains it, so check the labeling of your skin care products for this ingredient.  If there is not enough information, ask your pharmacist or retailer or contact the manufacturer directly. At work, request a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) to help identify potential sources of exposure.

Direct contact with foods or products containing isoeugenol may cause symptoms including burning, irritation, and redness. Direct contact may occur on the skin, lips, or mouth. It is possible, but rare, that ingestion of this substance could cause generalized symptoms such as itching or redness of the skin. Since some fragrances are also flavors, if your health care provider has diagnosed that you have oral or lip allergies, it would be best to avoid foods prepared with isoeugenol.

The avoidance of fragrances and flavoring agents such as isoeugenol can be difficult, since so many everyday products contain these substances. One should use only fragrance-free cosmetic and household products. “Unscented” products may contain low levels of a fragrance to cover up an undesirable odor and also should be avoided. Products labeled as “hypoallergenic” do not assure that the product is truly free of fragrance.