If you're adding essential oils to a cosmetic product in the UK or EU, it's not as simple as picking your favourite scent and pouring it in. You’re dealing with complex chemical mixtures that need to be understood, assessed, and used with caution.

It always starts the same way: a ‘beauty hack’ goes viral, a few influencers jump on it, and suddenly every indie brand with a Shopify account is repurposing a product to “ride the trend.” We get it. It’s tempting.

So here’s your quickfire, regulator-with-a-heart breakdown of what you need to know about 1st and 2nd generation hayfever meds, and why it actually matters for you as a consumer.