Jasmine oil, perfumes and essences of jasmin and your health

Learn about jasmine oil, and perfumes and essences of jasmin, their potential health risks and how to reduce your exposure

On this page

• About jasmine oil, and perfumes and essences of jasmin
• Safety of jasmine oil, and perfumes and essences of jasmin
• What we're doing to reduce your exposure
• What you can do to reduce your exposure

About jasmine oil, and perfumes and essences of jasmin

Jasmine oil, and perfumes and essences of jasmin, are extracted from the flower of the jasmine plant and are known as essential oils.They can also occur naturally in food and may be used as a food-flavouring agent. They're also used as fragrance ingredients in a variety of products available to consumers, such as:

• cosmetics, such as:
  • make-up
  • massage oil
  • body fragrance
  • hair conditioner
  • body moisturizer
  • temporary hair colour
  • facial and body cleanser
  • aerosol hair styling product
  • antiperspirant and deodorant
• non-prescription drugs
• cleaning products, such as:
  • dish detergents
  • all-purpose cleaners
  • laundry conditioners
  • laundry detergent and detergent boosters
• natural health products, such as:
  • sunscreen
  • acne treatment
  • antiseptic skin cleanser
  • topical treatment cream

Jasmine oil can be purchased as an essential oil at a concentration of up to 100%. It may be used by consumers as an ingredient in do-it-yourself (DIY) products and applications at home.

Jasmine oil, and perfumes and essences of jasmin may also be called:

• jasmin
• jasmine absolute
• Jasminum officinale and other species, including Jasminum grandiflorum

Safety of jasmine oil, and perfumes and essences of jasmin

Under Canada's Chemicals Management Plan, we review and manage the potential risks that chemical substances can pose to people in Canada and the environment. The first stage of the review process is a draft chemical risk assessment.

We have completed the draft assessment of jasmine oil, and perfumes and essences of jasmin. We're proposing that these substances may have toxic effects on the female reproductive system when used in certain products that are inhaled or applied to the skin, including:

• when added to DIY products, such as:
  • homemade:
    • massage oil
    • body moisturizer
  • facial steamers
  • aromatic diffusers (aromatherapy)
• cosmetics, like:
  • body fragrance
  • body moisturizer
• natural health products, like:
  • facial acne therapy
  • antiseptic skin cleanser
  • sunscreen (on infants 6 months to 1 year)

We're also proposing that:

• jasmine oil, and perfumes and essences of jasmin are not harmful to the environment
• levels of exposure to jasmine oil, and perfumes and essences of jasmin from food and other products available to consumers considered in our assessment, do not pose a risk to human health

What we're doing to reduce your exposure

Our assessment is not yet final. We're continuing to evaluate the potential risk posed by jasmine oil, and perfumes and essences of jasmin before we publish our final conclusion. This includes:

• tracking new information on exposures or hazards
• asking the public to comment on our draft assessment
• reviewing and using this information to help inform our final assessment

If the proposed findings for these substances are confirmed in the final assessment, we will consider:

• adding them to Schedule 1 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999
  • this would allow Canada to implement preventive or control actions for the life cycle of the substances, including:
    • research and development
    • manufacture
    • use
    • storage
    • transport
    • disposal or recycling
• adding them to the Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist
  • this would provide information to manufacturers on the restriction or prohibition of the use of jasmine oil, and perfumes and essences of jasmin in cosmetics
• changing the existing entries for jasmine oil, and perfumes and essences of jasmin on the Natural Health Products Ingredients Database
  • this would lower the maximum allowable concentration of these substances in certain natural health products applied to the skin
• actions to help reduce exposures to jasmine oil, and perfumes and essences of jasmin from products that are inhaled or applied to the skin to levels that are protective of human health
  • this includes use of the essential oils in DIY applications

You can provide any comments on our draft assessment and proposed risk management during the 60-day public comment period.

What you can do to reduce your exposure

You can take steps to reduce your exposure to harmful chemicals.

Limit your use of jasmine oil, and perfumes and essences of jasmin, in DIY products and applications that are inhaled or applied to the skin.

Read product labels and follow all safety warnings and directions

• labels on cosmetics, natural health products, and non-prescription drugs must list all ingredients and instructions for use
• only use over-the-counter products that have a drug identification number (DIN) or natural product number (NPN)
  • these numbers mean the product is regulated under the Food and Drugs Act
• follow the manufacturer's directions to dispose of the product safely

If you're unsure if your product contains jasmine oil, or perfumes and essences of jasmin, contact the manufacturer.

If you're exposed to jasmine oil, or perfumes and essences of jasmin at work, talk to your employer and occupational health and safety (OHS) official about:

• relevant laws
• safe handling and storage practices
• requirements under OHS legislation and the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)

Related links

• Chemical risk assessments
• Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist
• Use household chemicals safely
• Toxic substances list: schedule 1
• Measuring your exposure to chemicals
• Canada's systems for addressing chemicals
• Overview of the Chemicals Management Plan
• Natural Health Products Ingredients Database

For industry and professionals

• Risk assessment of chemical substances
• Phenylpropanoids and Aldehydes Group – information sheet
• Risk management scope for the phenylpropanoids and aldehydes group