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Potassium Butyl Ester of PVM/MA Copolymer
AKA “Potassium Butylparaben, BUTYLPARABEN, POTASSIUM SALT, P-HYDROXYBENZOATE POTASSIUM SALT, BENZOIC ACID, BUTYL ESTER”
Ingredient
Ingredient Facts
Potassium butyl ester of pvm/ma copolymer
AKA: Potassium Butylparaben, BUTYLPARABEN, POTASSIUM SALT, P-HYDROXYBENZOATE POTASSIUM SALT, BENZOIC ACID
Ingredient · Film Forming · EWG: 4
Synthetic
Occlusive
Not Clean
Potassium salt of butyl ester of PVM/MA copolymer
Formula
C11H13KO3
Mol. Weight
232.32
CAS #
38566-94-8
Form
Liquid
State
Liquid
See origin →
Functions
Binding
Film Forming
Creates a physical seal on skin to lock moisture in and keep irritants out. The "slugging" ingredient — barrier protection.
Holds Formula Together
Creates Protective Barrier
Creates protective layer
Holds ingredients together
Traditional Use
A synthetic polymer developed in the late 20th century for cosmetic use. Created as a film-forming and conditioning agent with no traditional predecessor.
Skin Types
●all-skin-types
Best For
General
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe
Yes
EWG
4
CIR
Safe as used
Pregnancy
Yes
CIR Safety Findings
medical-approval
all-shades-safe
Phototoxicity Concern
Concentration Guide
0.062%
14.0%
0%20%
Industry Max
Reg. Limit
EU regulatory limit: 14.0%. - 0,14% (as acid) for the sum of the individual concentrations - 0,8% (as acid) for mixtures of substances mentioned in entry 12 and 12a, here the sum of the individual concentrations of butyl and propylparaben and their salts does not exceed 0,14%. For leave -on products designed for children under three years of age: Do not use on the nappy area Source: EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009, Annex V (Preservatives), Entry 12 bis. Dermal absorption: 0.1%. Source: CIR Safety Assessment (CIR Seq 746).
Regulatory Status
USA✔ permitted
EU⚠ restricted
JAPAN⚠ restricted
CANADA⚠ restricted
Final amended report on the safety assessment of Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Isopropylparaben, Butylparaben, Isobutylparaben, and Benz
International journal of toxicology, 2008
→
Final amended report on the safety assessment of Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Isopropylparaben, Butylparaben, Isobutylparaben, and Benz
International journal of toxicology, 2008
→
Final amended report on the safety assessment of Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Isopropylparaben, Butylparaben, Isobutylparaben, and Benz
International journal of toxicology, 2008
→
Benzyl Alcohol, Benzoic Acid, Sodium Benzoate
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel
International Journal of Toxicology
→
Final Amended Report on the Safety Assessment of Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Isopropylparaben, Butylparaben, Isobutylparaben and Benzylparaben as used in cosmetic products
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
→
Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Isobutylparaben and Isopropylparaben
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel
International Journal of Toxicology
→
Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, and Butylparaben
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 Ester of PVM/MA Copolymer
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Butylparaben
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Isobutylparaben
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Potassium Butyl Ester of PVM/MA Copolymer
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Potassium Butylparaben
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Sodium Butylparaben
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Sodium Isobutylparaben
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
→
Butylparaben
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Isobutylparaben
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
High-dose exposure to butylparaben impairs thyroid ultrastructure and function in rats.
Jiang QL, Li S, Zeng Y, Zhang BT, Cao Y et al.
Scientific reports, 2024
→
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
→
Combined effect of silver nanoparticles and aluminium chloride, butylparaben or diethylphthalate on the malignancy of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells a
Roszak J, Smok-Pieniążek A, Jeżak K, Domeradzka-Gajda K, Grobelny J et al.
Toxicology in vitro : an international journal published in association with BIBRA, 2020
→
Verified Jun 2026
Data: PubChem · CosIng · EWG · CIR