PLDEFRESITJęzyk: polski
INCI name

BENZYL ALCOHOL

Benzyl alcohol

PreservativeSolventViscosity controllingPerfumingreviewed

A preservative, solvent and fragrance component.

What it is

Benzyl alcohol is an aromatic alcohol found naturally in some essential oils. It is allowed as a preservative in the EU (Annex V) and is also listed as a fragrance allergen.

Where it is used

Found in creams, hair dyes, cleansers and fragranced products.

Limits of interpretation

The INCI list shows which ingredients are present, not how much of each. Above 1%, ingredients are listed in descending order of weight; below 1% the order is free.

Above set thresholds, benzyl alcohol must be named on the label as a fragrance allergen; its presence does not mean every user will react.

Functions

Preservative
Exclusively or mainly intended to inhibit the development of micro-organisms in the cosmetic product. All authorised preservatives are substances in the positive list of Annex V to the Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009.
Solvent
Dissolving other components of cosmetics. Solvents are usually liquids (aqueous and nonaqueous).
Viscosity controlling
Increasing or decreasing the viscosity (thickness) of cosmetics.
Perfuming
Used for perfume and aromatic raw materials.

EU regulation

EU · Annex V, entry 34Benzyl alcohol (7)
Maximum concentration
1.0%
As of
3 November 2026 · (EC) 2013/344
EU · Annex III, entry 45Benzyl Alcohol
Product type
(a) Solvent (b) Fragrance/ aromatic compositions/ their raw materials
As of
3 November 2026 · (EU) 2023/1545

Safety Gate alerts (EU)

26 alerts about dangerous cosmetics in the EU mention this substance. An alert concerns a specific product, usually one that breaks EU rules.

See all alerts →

Products with this ingredient (3672)

Check a full ingredient list