C16-17 Alkyl Benzoate
AKA “
Alkyl Benzoate, Benzoate Ester
”
Emollient
🦆
❤️
👻
Ingredient Facts
C16-17 alkyl benzoate
AKA: Benzoate Ester
Emollient · Antimicrobial · EWG: 4
WHAT IS IT?
Synthetic
Emollient
Preservative
Solvent
Skin Conditioner
Not Clean
C16-17-alkyl benzoate
Form
Liquid
See origin →
WHAT'S IT DO?
Functions
Antimicrobial
Keeps your product from growing bacteria, mold, or yeast. Without these, that jar of cream becomes a petri dish in about a week.
Skin Conditioning
A catch-all term for ingredients that improve how skin looks and feels — softer, smoother, more supple. The workhorse behind most moisturizers.
Emollient
Fills in the tiny cracks between skin cells to make everything feel smooth and soft. The "silky finish" ingredient.
Solvent
Dissolves other ingredients so they distribute evenly in the formula. Often the invisible "base" everything else is mixed into.
Locks In Moisture
Skin Types
●
all-skin-types
Best For
Dryness
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe
Yes
IS IT SAFE?
EWG
4
CIR
Safe as used
Pregnancy
Yes
CIR Safety Findings
Not a Sensitizer
medical-approval
all-shades-safe
Regulatory Status
USA
✔ permitted
EU
⚠ restricted
JAPAN
⚠ restricted
CANADA
⚠ restricted
Regulatory Agencies
EWG
CIR
FDA
EU COSING
Health Canada
WHAT'S THE PROOF?
Safety Assessment of Alkyl Benzoates as Used in Cosmetics
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel
International Journal of Toxicology
→
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
C16-17 Alkyl Benzoate
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
C12-15 alkyl benzoate: a new cosmetic allergen?
Werbrouck J, Lambrecht C, Goossens A
Contact dermatitis, 2015
→
Verified Jun 2026
Data: CosIng · EWG · CIR