Tilia Cordata Flower

What Is It?

Tilia Americana Flower Extract, Tilia Americana Flower Oil, Tilia Cordata Flower, Tilia Cordata Flower Extract, Tilia Cordata Flower Water, Tilia Europaea Flower Extract, Tilia Platyphyllos Flower, Tilia Platyphyllos Flower Extract, Tilia Vulgaris Flower Extract and Tilia Vulgaris Flower Water are ingredients made from the flowers of various species of linden trees. In cosmetics and personal care products, these ingredients may be used in the formulation of many types of products including skin fresheners, soaps and detergents, skin care products, eye makeup and hair care products.

Why Is It Used?

The following functions have been reported for the ingredients made from flowers of linden trees.

  • Fragrance ingredient: Tilia Americana Flower Extract, Tilia Americana Flower Oil, Tilia Cordata Flower Water, Tilia Vulgaris Flower Water
  • Skin conditioning agent – miscellaneous: Tilia Cordata Flower, Tilia Cordata Flower Extract, Tilia Cordata Flower Water, Tilia Europaea Flower Extract, Tilia Platyphyllos Flower

Scientific Facts

Tilia is a genus of about 30 species of trees, native throughout most of the temperate Northern Hemisphere, in Asia, Europe and eastern North America. They are large deciduous trees, reaching typically 60-130 feet tall. The trees are generally called lime the United Kingdom and linden in North America.

Safety Information

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) includes essential oils, oleoresins and natural extractives (including distillates) from the flowers of linden trees (various species of Tilia) on its list of substances considered Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) for addition to food. Botanical and botanically derived ingredients used in the formulation of cosmetics are generally mild and safe. Prior to marketing the finished cosmetic product, the safety of each ingredient must be substantiated in accordance with 21 CFR 740.10. Safety substantiation of cosmetic ingredients may include tests for ocular and skin irritation as well as allergenicity, phototoxicity, photoallergenicity and mutagenicity, depending on the application or intended use. There is a considerable body of information about the safety of botanical ingredients and a well established history of use. These resources are consulted to ensure the safety of these materials as they are used in cosmetics.

FDA: Link to Code of Federal Regulations for Tilia http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr…

Tilia Americana Flower Extract, Tilia Americana Flower Oil, Tilia Cordata Flower, Tilia Cordata Flower Extract, Tilia Cordata Flower Water, Tilia Europaea Flower Extract, Tilia Platyphyllos Flower, Tilia Platyphyllos Flower Extract, Tilia Vulgaris Flower Extract and Tilia Vulgaris Flower Water may be used in cosmetics and personal care products marketed in Europe according to the general provisions of the Cosmetics Regulation of the European Union.

Link to the EU Cosmetic Regulation: http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/consumers/product_labelling_and_packaging/co0013_en.htm

In selecting plant-derived ingredients for cosmetics and personal care products, formulators rely on the extensive history of their preparation and use. Such materials have been used for a long time and, based upon this experience, extensive knowledge of their safety has been gained. In the situation of newly identified botanicals in the cosmetic industry, appropriate ocular and skin safety studies are conducted prior to release into general commerce. There are many different references that describe the isolation, use and safety of botanical preparations. More information about botanical ingredients.

More Scientific Information

Tilia Americana Flower Extract, Tilia Americana Flower Oil, Tilia Cordata Flower, Tilia Cordata Flower Extract, Tilia Cordata Flower Water, Tilia Europaea Flower Extract, Tilia Platyphyllos Flower, Tilia Platyphyllos Flower Extract, Tilia Vulgaris Flower Extract and Tilia Vulgaris Flower Water belong to a large and diverse class of materials that are not defined chemically. The majority of the materials in this class are mixtures derived from plants (herbs, roots, flowers, fruits, or seeds). In naming plants, botanists use a Latin name made up of the genus and species of the plant. For example, under this system the plant, the American linden is known as Tilia americana L., where “L” stands for Linneaus, who first described the type of plant specimen. Plants are also known by a common name that has been handed down through generations. These common names may vary from country to country. Therefore, Latin names, which are more likely to be recognized in many countries, are frequently used on the label of a product to identify an ingredient made from plants. Small-leaf linden, European linden, big-leaf linden and European linden are common names used for Tilia cordata, Tilia europaea, Tilia platyphyllos and Tilia vulgaris, respectively.

Resources

Find out more about the regulation of Food Additives by the Food and Drug Administration

Food Ingredients and Packaging: http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/default.htm

Food Contact Substances: http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/PackagingFCS/default.htm

Substances Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS): http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/GRAS/default.htm

Cross Reference for Common Names and Latin names for Botanical ingredient: http://www.personalcarecouncil.org/botanicals-cross-reference-latin-bino…

Find out more about the history of using plants to obtain beneficial materials:

Search the Code of Federal Regulations http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/cfrsearch.cfm

EU Cosmetics Inventory http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cosmetics/cosing/