Benzyl Alcohol
What it is
An aromatic alcohol (CAS 100-51-6) used as a preservative and fragrance component. One of the original 26 named EU fragrance allergens.
In this product: Dual-use preservative and fragrance allergen.
Dose & route, what actually matters
Dermal, leave-on and rinse-off. When used as a fragrance component it may be undisclosed in the US inside 'Fragrance'; when listed as a separate INCI entry it functions as a preservative.
EUROPEAN UNION
Named-disclosure fragrance allergen under EU Cosmetics Regulation Annex III since 2003; reaffirmed by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1545. Must be individually listed when present above 0.01% (rinse-off) or 0.001% (leave-on).
UNITED STATES
No individual disclosure requirement when used as a fragrance component. May appear on US labels inside 'Fragrance' without being named.
The evidence
EU Cosmetics Regulation Annex III requires benzyl alcohol to be individually disclosed on labels when present above threshold concentrations; Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 confirmed its continued inclusion in the EU allergen disclosure list.
regulatory · 2023 · source
California Prop 65: Not listed.
How to avoid it
Fragrance-free products avoid it. If listed as a standalone INCI it is the preservative form; if only 'Fragrance' appears on a US label, its presence is unverifiable.
Where it hides
Editorial analysis of publicly available regulatory and peer-reviewed sources. Not medical advice. We name our evidence and link it, including when an ingredient is fine.