Benzoyl Peroxide
AKA “BPO, Dibenzoyl Peroxide”
Ingredient Facts
Benzoyl peroxide
AKA: BPO, Dibenzoyl Peroxide
Synthetic · Antimicrobial
Synthetic
Rx Active
Preservative
Not Clean
Formula
C14H10O4
Mol. Weight
242.23
CAS #
94-36-0
State
Solid
See origin →
Functions
Anti-Acne
A pharmaceutical-grade active. These are the heavy hitters — often prescription-strength or regulated for potency.
Antimicrobial
Keeps your product from growing bacteria, mold, or yeast. Without these, that jar of cream becomes a petri dish in about a week.
Oxidising
Use Caution With
🧂Conflict of interest.
Efficacy of a multitargeted, salicylic acid-based dermocosmetic cream compared to benzoyl peroxide 5% in Acne vulgaris: Results from a randomized stud
Dal Belo SE, Kanoun-Copy L, Lambert C, Cornillon C, Muller B et al.
Journal of cosmetic dermatology, 2024
Benzoyl peroxide
Health Canada
Health Canada Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist
Efficacy and safety of microencapsulated benzoyl peroxide...
James Del Rosso, Jeffrey Sugarman, Lawrence Green, Theodore Lain, Ofra Levy-Hacham, Rinat Mizrahi + 1 more
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2023
Verified Feb 2026 · 🧪 = conflict
Data: PubChem · CosIng