In our reference data, Benzyl Alcohol is an EU-declared allergen; is a drying alcohol.
Benzyl alcohol is an aromatic alcohol used primarily as a preservative and solvent in cosmetic formulations, and it also provides mild fragrance and viscosity-reducing properties. It is approved for use as a preservative at concentrations up to about 1% in leave-on and rinse-off products.
| Reported effect | How often | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Skin irritation | Uncommon | Can cause stinging, redness, or mild irritation, particularly on sensitive or compromised skin or at higher concentrations. |
Allergic contact dermatitis | Rare | Recognized contact allergen; positive patch-test reactions occur in a small subset of individuals. |
Contact urticaria | Rare | Immediate hives-type reactions have occasionally been reported. |
Systemic toxicity in neonates (gasping syndrome) | Very rare | Associated with high-dose intravenous/parenteral exposure in infants, not typical topical cosmetic use. |
Frequencies reflect typical cosmetic use reported in the literature, not a guarantee for your skin.
Peer-reviewed papers on this ingredient, via PubMed.