Baby Safety / Compounds / Hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde (Lyral)

Is Hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde (Lyral) safe for babies and kids?

Very high risk for kids

Infants are more vulnerable to Hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde (Lyral) than children or adults due to immature hepatic/renal clearance, higher intake-to-body-weight ratio, rapid organ development, and increased gastrointestinal absorption.

What is hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde (lyral)?

The IUPAC name is 4-(4-hydroxy-4-methylpentyl)cyclohex-3-ene-1-carbaldehyde.

Also known as: 4-(4-hydroxy-4-methylpentyl)cyclohex-3-ene-1-carbaldehyde, 4-(4-Hydroxy-4-methylpentyl)-3-cyclohexene-1-carboxaldehyde, hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde, Liral.

IUPAC name
4-(4-hydroxy-4-methylpentyl)cyclohex-3-ene-1-carbaldehyde
CAS number
31906-04-4
Molecular formula
C13H22O2
Molecular weight
210.31 g/mol
SMILES
CC(C)(CCCC1=CCC(CC1)C=O)O
PubChem CID
91604

Risk for babies

Very high risk

Infants are more vulnerable to Hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde (Lyral) than children or adults due to immature hepatic/renal clearance, higher intake-to-body-weight ratio, rapid organ development, and increased gastrointestinal absorption.

Neonates and infants up to 12 months have incomplete blood-brain barrier development, immature Phase I/II metabolic enzymes (particularly CYP3A4, UGT1A1), and higher gastrointestinal permeability. Equivalent doses produce higher internal concentrations and longer residence times.

What to do: Minimize infant exposure through source control. For breastfeeding mothers: reduce maternal exposure. For formula-fed infants: use certified low-migration bottles and verified water sources. Consult pediatrician regarding any concerns.

Risk for pregnant and nursing people

Context-dependent

Prenatal exposure to Hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde (Lyral) through personal care products may affect fetal development. Some fragrance chemicals are sensitizers or endocrine-active compounds with transplacental transfer.

No specific reproductive toxicity data identified, but pregnancy-specific safety data is limited for most chemicals. Precautionary minimization of exposure is recommended.

What to do: Minimize exposure during pregnancy and lactation. Consult healthcare provider regarding specific risks. Consider alternative products with lower hazard profiles.

Regulatory consensus

3 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde (Lyral). The classifications differ — that's the data.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
EU2024Banned in cosmetics (REACH Annex II)
IFRA2020prohibitionIFRA prohibited — extreme sensitizer
EU_COSMETICS2022bannedEU banned in cosmetics March 2022

Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.

Where kids encounter hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde (lyral)

  • Personal Careperfume, deodorant, soap, shampoo, lotion
  • Fragranceperfume, cologne, scented personal care products, household fragrance products, candles
    Identified in Fragrance Ingredient Safety Priority Research database (2,325 ingredients)

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde (Lyral):

  • Floralozone (Floramat)
    Trade-offs: Powerful oxidant; effective for taste/odor and micropollutants; decomposes to oxygen (no residual); forms bromate in bromide-containing water; capital cost moderate; operational complexity higher than chlorination.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×
  • Cyclamen aldehyde
    Trade-offs: Alternative fragrance ingredient; individual safety profile should be assessed per IFRA standards; sensitization potential varies by compound; patch testing recommended for sensitive individuals.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×
  • Lilac aldehydes
    Trade-offs: Alternative fragrance ingredient; individual safety profile should be assessed per IFRA standards; sensitization potential varies by compound; patch testing recommended for sensitive individuals.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions

Is hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde (lyral) safe for kids?

Infants are more vulnerable to Hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde (Lyral) than children or adults due to immature hepatic/renal clearance, higher intake-to-body-weight ratio, rapid organ development, and increased gastrointestinal absorption.

What products contain hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde (lyral)?

Hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde (Lyral) appears in: perfume (Personal care); deodorant (Personal care); perfume (Fragrance); cologne (Fragrance).

What should I do if my child is exposed to hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde (lyral)?

Minimize infant exposure through source control. For breastfeeding mothers: reduce maternal exposure. For formula-fed infants: use certified low-migration bottles and verified water sources. Consult pediatrician regarding any concerns.

Why do regulators disagree about hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde (lyral)?

Hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde (Lyral) has been classified by 3 agencies including EU, IFRA, EU_COSMETICS, with differing conclusions. Regulators apply different standards of evidence (animal data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds), which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. See the regulatory consensus table on this page for the full picture.

See Hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde (Lyral) in the baby app

Look up products containing hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde (lyral), compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

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Sources (1)

  1. PubChem Compound Database (2026) — database

Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for veterinary, medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →