Benzyl alcohol in cosmetics: preservative or fragrance?
Arin Editorial · how this is made
If you've ever checked the ingredient list on creams, lotions, or shampoos, you've probably seen 'benzyl alcohol.' This substance works both as a preservative that protects against microbes and as a fragrance component. Seeing it on a label doesn't usually mean you're dealing with something harmful.
What is this substance?
Benzyl alcohol belongs to the aromatic alcohols group. It is produced industrially from toluene. In cosmetics, it has four different functions: preservative, solvent, fragrance component, and viscosity-decreasing agent. Each of these functions has its own conditions of use.
What does it do as a preservative?
At low concentrations, it slows or stops bacterial growth. This helps extend the shelf life of creams, lotions, and some medications. In the US, a 5% solution has been approved since 2009 as a product for treating head lice.
As a fragrance component
It has a light, pleasant odor, so it is added to perfumes and cosmetic formulations as a scent ingredient. The European Union keeps this use on its restricted substances list (Annex III). In other words, formulators must use it under specific conditions.
What do safety data say?
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) panel reported in 2001 that it saw no adverse effects under the tested conditions. EPA's laboratory screens found no activation of the estrogen receptor. Data on cancer potential were considered inadequate. The pure substance is classified as irritating if it contacts the eye; this classification reflects the hazard of the substance itself and should not be confused with the low use levels in cosmetics.
The European Union cosmetics regulation allows it as a preservative up to 1%; its use as a fragrance component is on the restricted substances list.
There's nothing special you need to do if you see benzyl alcohol on a label. In normal product use, it appears at low concentrations due to the 1% limit. Avoid eye contact with products used around the eye area; if you're sensitive to fragrances, check the ingredient list of scented products.
Sources
- European Commission, Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009
- Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR), Final Report on Benzyl Alcohol, Benzoic Acid, and Sodium Benzoate, 2001
- EPA ToxCast/ToxValDB
- US FDA (Ulesfia approval, 2009)