Butyl Benzoate
AKA “n-Butyl benzoate, Benzoic acid, butyl ester, Anthrapole AZ, Dai Cari XBN, Benzoic acid n-butyl ester, Butylester kyseliny benzoove, NSC 8474”
Synthetic
Ingredient Facts
Butyl benzoate
AKA: N-Butyl benzoate, Benzoic acid, Butyl ester, Anthrapole AZ, Dai Cari XBN, Benzoic acid n-butyl ester, Butylester kyseliny benzoove, NSC 8474
Synthetic · Antimicrobial · EWG: 4
Synthetic
Emollient
Preservative
Solvent
Skin Conditioner
Synthetic
Clean
Helps preserve the product's freshness and effectiveness while contributing a subtle fragrance element to the formula.
Solubility PRACTICALLY INSOL IN WATER
Formula
C11H14O2
Mol. Weight
178.23
CAS #
136-60-7
Form
Liquid
State
Liquid
See origin →
Functions
Solvent
Dissolves other ingredients so they distribute evenly in the formula. Often the invisible "base" everything else is mixed into.
Preservative
Keeps your product from growing bacteria, mold, or yeast. Without these, that jar of cream becomes a petri dish in about a week.
Antimicrobial
Keeps your product from growing bacteria, mold, or yeast. Without these, that jar of cream becomes a petri dish in about a week.
Emollient
Fills in the tiny cracks between skin cells to make everything feel smooth and soft. The "silky finish" ingredient.
Prevents microbial growth
Provides scent
Traditional Use
Synthetic ester developed mid-20th century as a preservative and solvent in cosmetics. Designed to replace less stable natural preservatives and improve formulation stability.
Skin Types
●all-skin-types
Best For
General
Melanin-Rich Skin
Suitable
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe
Yes
EWG
4
CIR
Safe
Pregnancy
Yes
CIR Safety Findings
Not Phototoxic
medical-approval
all-shades-safe
Concentration Guide
0.5%
0%1%
Reg. Limit
EU regulatory limit: 0.5%. Source: EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009, Annex V (Preservatives), Entry 1a.
Regulatory Agencies
Benzyl Alcohol, Benzoic Acid, Sodium Benzoate
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel
International Journal of Toxicology
Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Benzyl Alcohol, Benzoic Acid, and Sodium Benzoate
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel
International Journal of Toxicology
Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Ethyl Ester of PVM/MA Copolymer and Butyl Ester of PVM/MA Copolymer
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel
International Journal of Toxicology
Safety Assessment of Benzyl Alcohol, Benzoic Acid and its Salts, and Benzyl Benzoate
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel
International Journal of Toxicology
4-Hydroxybenzoic Acid
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
Safety Assessment of Benzyl Alcohol, Benzoic Acid and its...
Wilbur Johnson, Wilma F Bergfeld, Donald V Belsito, Ronald A Hill, Curtis D Klaassen, Daniel C Liebler + 5 more
International journal of toxicology, 2017
Safety Assessment of Benzyl Alcohol, Benzoic Acid and its...
Wilbur Johnson, Wilma F Bergfeld, Donald V Belsito, Ronald A Hill, Curtis D Klaassen, Daniel C Liebler + 5 more
International journal of toxicology, 2017
Verified Feb 2026
Data: PubChem · CosIng · EWG · CIR