Ginger lily

Moderate risk of skin sensitization due to high isoeugenol content.

Dermal: avoid on hypersensitive, diseased or damaged skin, and on children under 2 years.

Maximum dermal use level 1.0 percent based on 18.4 percent isoeugenol and a dermal limit of 0.2 percent.

IFRA limits isoeugenol to 0.02 percent in finished products, considered over-restrictive.

Benzyl cyanide (1.3 percent) is mildly toxic but organic cyanides are much less toxic than inorganic cyanides. No concern at this level.

Hedychium coronarium is a tropical Asian herb with large white twisted-petaled flowers resembling butterflies, hence 'butterfly lily'. The national flower of Cuba.

The absolute is solvent-extracted from the flowers. The same plant yields longoza oil (steam-distilled from the flowers).

Family Zingiberaceae, surprising since the flowers don't resemble ginger or cardamon, but they share the family.