Violet oil and your health

Learn about violet oil, its potential health risks and how to reduce your exposure

On this page

• About violet oil
• Safety of violet oil
• What we're doing to reduce your exposure to violet oil
• What you can do to reduce your exposure to violet oil

About violet oil

Violet oil is extracted from the violet plant and is known as an essential oil. It can occur naturally in food and may be used as a food-flavouring agent. It's also used as a fragrance ingredient in a variety of products available to consumers, such as:

• air fresheners
• cosmetics, such as:
  • lipstick
  • fragrances
  • massage oil
  • facial cleanser
  • eye and body moisturizer
  • hair conditioner and styling products
• non-prescription drugs
• natural health products

Violet 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.

Violet oil may also be called:

• violet leaf oil
• Viola odorata
• violet absolute
• violet leaf absolute
• sweet violet leaf oil
• sweet violet extract

Safety of violet oil

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 violet oil. We're proposing that violet oil may be harmful to human health when used in certain products that are inhaled or applied to the skin, including:

• massage oil used on children younger than 9
• when added to DIY products, such as:
• facial steamers
• aromatic diffusers (aromatherapy)

We're also proposing that:

• violet oil is not harmful to the environment
• levels of exposure to violet oil 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 to violet oil

Our assessment is not yet final. We're continuing to evaluate the potential risk posed by violet oil 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 this substance are confirmed in the final assessment, we will consider:

• adding it 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 substance, including:
    • research and development
    • manufacture
    • use
    • storage
    • transport
    • disposal or recycling
• adding it to the Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist
  • this would provide information to manufacturers on the restriction or prohibition of the use of violet oil in cosmetic products like massage oil
• taking actions to help reduce exposures to violet oil from products that are inhaled to levels that help protect human health.
  • this includes the use of the essential oil in DIY applications

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

What you can do to reduce your exposure to violet oil

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

Limit your use of violet oil in massage oils and DIY products and applications that are inhaled.

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
• 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 violet oil, contact the manufacturer.

If you're exposed to violet oil 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

For industry and professionals

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