BENZYL ALCOHOL

Frequently asked questions

• Is BENZYL ALCOHOL safe in cosmetics?

  BENZYL ALCOHOL is a fragrance allergen that must be named in the ingredient list once it exceeds 0.001% in leave-on products or 0.01% in rinse-off products. Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 extended this labelling duty well beyond the original 26 substances.

• In which annex of Regulation 1223/2009 does BENZYL ALCOHOL fall?

  BENZYL ALCOHOL falls under reference III/45 in the annexes of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products. An annex entry may name a substance directly or cover it as part of a broader category. The first part (Roman numeral) indicates the annex: II – prohibited substances, III – substances restricted by conditions, IV – permitted colorants, V – permitted preservatives, VI – permitted UV filters.

• What functions does BENZYL ALCOHOL perform in cosmetics?

  According to the European Commission's CosIng database, BENZYL ALCOHOL performs the following functions in cosmetics: PERFUMING, PRESERVATIVE, SOLVENT, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING. Functions are defined in the CosIng glossary and describe the technological role of a substance in the finished product.

• Are there Safety Gate alerts concerning BENZYL ALCOHOL?

  We found 5 recent alerts in the EU Safety Gate database in which BENZYL ALCOHOL appears in the risk description or on the ingredient list of a recalled cosmetic. The full list and details of each alert are below in the Safety Gate alerts section.