Roll Call

“Benzyl Alcohol?”Here!

PreservativeFragranceSolventVaries by source

Appears in 6 scanned products.

In personal care

A simple aromatic alcohol found naturally in fruits like apricots and cranberries, and in essential oils such as jasmine and ylang-ylang. It is also produced synthetically for cosmetic use.

Why it’s used

Works as a preservative to prevent microbial growth, and also as a fragrance ingredient and solvent that helps other ingredients dissolve.

What the evidence says

The CIR and the EU's SCCS have both reviewed benzyl alcohol and consider it safe at the concentrations used in cosmetics, generally up to about 1 percent as a preservative. It can cause contact allergy in a small subset of people, which is why it appears on the EU's list of fragrance allergens requiring disclosure when present above a threshold.

Context

Concentration matters: preservative use is typically well below levels associated with irritation. Leave-on products carry a slightly higher chance of triggering sensitivity in already-allergic individuals than rinse-off products, simply due to longer skin contact.

Rumors

  1. Benzyl alcohol is a skin sensitiser that causes allergic contact dermatitis.

    Unresolvedhealth and safety evidence

    Measured as an outcome.

    Who’s saying this

    • Annmarie Skin Care — a brand: sells handcrafted organic skin care
      How we know who this is
      • “Step 1: Curate At Annmarie Skin Care, we curate with organic and wildcrafted ingredients—from herbs to high-vibration plant extracts—that meet the highest standards of quality and effectiveness for your skin and body.” (their page)
      • “Take this 2-minute assessment for a personalized Annmarie Skin Care regimen for next-level results.” (their page)

Where it shows up

and 3 more products