Potassium Salicylate
AKA “Salicylic acid potassium salt, Benzoic acid, 2-hydroxy-, monopotassium salt, UNII-K91YT16P5M, K91YT16P5M, EINECS 209-421-6, DTXSID9060366, POTASSIUM SALICYLATE [MI], potassium salt (1:1), POTASSIUM SALICYLATE [VANDF]”
Preservative
Ingredient Facts
Potassium salicylate
AKA: Salicylic acid potassium salt, Benzoic acid, 2-hydroxy-, Monopotassium salt, UNII-K91YT16P5M, K91YT16P5M, EINECS 209-421-6, DTXSID9060366, POTASSIUM SALICYLATE [MI], Potassium salt (1:1), POTASSIUM SALICYLATE [VANDF]
Preservative · Antimicrobial · EWG: 4
Synthetic
Preservative
Chemical Exfoliant
Not Clean
The Panel concluded that the following ingredients are safe in cosmetics in the present practices of use and concentration described in the safety assessment, when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing, which may be based on a quantitative risk assessment (QRA)...Potassium Salicylate...
Formula
C7H5KO3
Mol. Weight
176.21
CAS #
578-36-9
Form
Powder
See origin →
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.
Preservative
Keeps your product from growing bacteria, mold, or yeast. Without these, that jar of cream becomes a petri dish in about a week.
Fights Bacteria
Traditional Use
A salt form of salicylic acid developed in the 19th century. Salicylic acid derives from willow bark, used for centuries in traditional medicine; the potassium salt form was created for cosmetic stability and exfoliation.
Skin Types
●all-skin-types
Best For
Acne
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe
Caution
EWG
4
CIR
Safe as used
Pregnancy
Caution
Restricted By
CIR Safety Findings
Not an Irritant
medical-approval
all-shades-safe
Concentration Guide
0.5%
0%1%
Reg. Limit
EU regulatory limit: 0.5%. Not to be used for children under 3 years of age (2) Source: EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009, Annex V (Preservatives), Entry 3.
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
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)
Potassium Salicylate
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
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