Ingredient decoder
INCI name: Coumarin
Scent ingredient that can cause allergic reactions in some people.
Coumarin is a sweet, hay and vanilla-like scent compound found in tonka beans, sweet clover and cassia, added to products for fragrance. It is one of the scent components that must be named on EU labels above set levels because it can trigger allergic reactions in some people. For acne-prone skin it does not clog pores, but irritation and redness can make breakouts look and feel worse, so sensitive skin may do better without it.
Not usually, but it is worth watching. Coumarin is not a proven pore-clogger, but scent ingredients like this can irritate sensitive skin, and irritated skin can make breakouts look and feel worse. Notice how your skin reacts when a product lists it near the top.
Clean routine and still breaking out? The cause may be internal. See what is driving it
Coumarin has no published comedogenic rating in Fulton's 1989 table. It is not a proven pore-clogger, but it is worth watching on acne-prone skin.
In short: scent ingredient that can cause allergic reactions in some people. In formulas it is used for perfuming.
On ingredient lists, coumarin can also appear as 2h-chromen-2-one.
