Analysis of fragrances in cosmetics by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

Abstract

Abstract A gas chromatographic (GC)‐mass spectrometric (GC‐MS) method has been developed for the routine analysis of 11 fragrance substances in cosmetics: cinnamic alcohol, cinnamic aldehyde, eugenol, hydroxy citronellal, α‐amyl cinnamic aldehyde, geraniol, isoeugenol, coumarin, dihydrocoumarin, citronellal and citral. Methods for sample preparation of various types of cosmetic products, prior to GC analysis, have also been developed and proved to be rugged. Detection limits of all of target fragrance substances were approximately 1 ppm. Calibration curves of the target fragrance substances analyzed by GC were found to be linear in the investigated concentration range, 0.005% – 0.50%. The recoveries of the target fragrances from various types of cosmetic products were 80% – 116% and the relative standard deviations of the quantitative analysis of the target fragrance substances were within 5%.