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, HSDB 2089, UNII-1TGZ0D0O8I”
Preservative
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, HSDB 2089, UNII-1TGZ0D0O8I
Preservative · Preservative · EWG: 4
Synthetic
Preservative
Not Clean
Butyl benzoate is a benzoate ester obtained by condensation of benzoic acid and butanol. It is used as a perfume ingredient and as a solvent for cellulose ether, a dye carrier for textiles. It has a role as a fragrance, an antimicrobial food preservative and a plant metabolite.
Solubility PRACTICALLY INSOL IN WATER
Formula
C11H14O2
Mol. Weight
178.23
CAS #
136-60-7
Form
Liquid
State
Liquid
See origin →
Functions
Preservative
Keeps your product from growing bacteria, mold, or yeast. Without these, that jar of cream becomes a petri dish in about a week.
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
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe
Yes
EWG
4
CIR
Safe as used
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
Update to RIFM fragrance ingredient safety assessment, isobutyl benzoate, CAS registry number 120-50-3.
Api AM, Bartlett A, Belsito D, Botelho D, Bruze M et al.
Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association, 2024
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 rescues multisystemic disease and perinatal lethality in a mouse model of mitochondrial disease.
Corral-Sarasa J, Martínez-Gálvez JM, González-García P, Wendling O, Jiménez-Sánchez L et al.
Cell reports, 2024
4-Hydroxybenzoic Acid
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
Butyl Benzoate
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
Butyl Ester of PVM/MA Copolymer
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
Isobutyl Benzoate
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
Potassium Butyl Ester of PVM/MA Copolymer
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
Benzoic acid and its derivatives as naturally occurring compounds in foods and as additives: Uses, exposure, and controversy.
Del Olmo A, Calzada J, Nuñez M
Critical reviews in food science and nutrition, 2017
Benzoic acid and its derivatives as naturally occurring compounds in foods and as additives: Uses, exposure, and controversy.
Del Olmo A, Calzada J, Nuñez M
Critical reviews in food science and nutrition, 2017
Benzoic acid and its derivatives as naturally occurring compounds in foods and as additives: Uses, exposure, and controversy.
Del Olmo A, Calzada J, Nuñez M
Critical reviews in food science and nutrition, 2017
4-Hydroxybenzoic Acid
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
Benzoic Acid
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
Butyl Ester of PVM/MA Copolymer
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 Jun 2026
Data: PubChem · CosIng · EWG · CIR