Is citral safe during pregnancy?
Reviewed by VeriMom Editorial Team · Last reviewed
Pregnancy-Safe Ingredients Database — 28,000+ Ingredients Rated
citral
LOW RISK80
/100
0








Pregnancy-safe products containing citral
uncategorized
LA COMPAGNIE DE PROVENCE
Colorons les fêtes avec OMY - Calendrier de l'avent 2022 - 150 ml + 2 x 40 ml + 12 x 30 ml + 2 x 15 ml + 10 ml + 8 ml + 3 x 25 g + 4,7 g
87/100

Neal's Yard Remedies
Neal's Yard Remedies Firming Body Cream
86/100

ULTA
ULTA Juice Infused Lip Oil Jojoba + Peach
86/100

sisley
Sisley Hair Rituel Le Baume Restructurant Nourrissant Hair & Scalp Care
86/100

Apivita
Apivita Face Mask Orange
86/100

Anaaka
Anaaka Priming Anti-aging Day Cream
86/100

Alterra
Alterra Ice Ice Baby Lip Sorbet - 03 Peach
86/100

Primal Suds
Primal Suds Fenugeek Shampoo Dry Hair
86/100

Cien
Cien Sleep Well Jelly Mask
86/100

Lavera
lavera Tagescreme Mattierende Balancecreme Grüner Tee
86/100
Related ingredients
See also
Sources & references
Authoritative references used to score this ingredient.
Frequently asked questions
- Is citral safe during pregnancy?
- ECHA H317 sensitiser only — no H360/H361. NTP studies showed no developmental toxicity at cosmetic concentrations. ACOG/NHS/BabyCenter do not list as avoid.
- Is citral safe while breastfeeding?
- No high‑quality human milk transfer data located. Systemic exposure from normal topical cosmetic use is low but measurable; therefore a conservative, low-level concern is retained (structural/mechanistic concerns from retinoid antagonism exist but direct evidence for adverse effects via breastmilk is limited). Higher‑quality animal systemic reproduction data exist for high exposures but not direct lactation transfer studies.
- Is citral safe for baby skin?
- Primary and regulatory evidence identifies citral as a skin irritant and a skin sensitiser (harmonised CLP/ECHA listings for H315/H317 for irritation/sensitisation; SCCS recently produced a sensitisation endpoint opinion). Infant skin has higher absorption — exposure score increased by +1. The sensitisation mechanism is well demonstrated in vitro/in vivo (LLNA and other sensitisation studies) so mechanism is rated demonstrated for skin effects.
- How does VeriMom score citral?
- VeriMom scores citral at 80/100 (low risk) based on EU CosIng status, ECHA hazard classifications, and peer-reviewed PubMed studies. Our scoring pipeline is fully transparent.
- What are pregnancy-safe alternatives to citral?
- See our curated list of pregnancy-safe alternatives to citral based on similar function and a no-known-risks safety band.
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Medical Disclaimer
This information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Safety scores are based on publicly available data and may not reflect all risks. Always consult your healthcare provider before using any product during pregnancy or breastfeeding.