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Benzyl Alcohol
Benzyl Alcohol
Aromatic alcohol used as a mild preservative and solvent. Found naturally in jasmine and balsam of Peru.
What it does
Benzyl alcohol works as both a solvent and a preservative in cosmetic formulations. It's listed as one of the EU's 26 fragrance allergens because trace amounts contribute to scent and can trigger contact allergy in fragrance-sensitive users. As a preservative, it pairs well with dehydroacetic acid for natural-positioned products.
The evidence, graded
strongCommon sensitivity and contact-allergy triggers in skincare include fragrance (the most-cited cosmetic allergen), essential oils, denatured alcohol, and certain preservatives (methylisothiazolinone, formaldehyde-releasers). Patch test new products on the inner forearm for 48-72 hours before face-wide use.Warshaw 2020 · Dermatitis ↗
Graded per the methodology: strong · moderate · emerging · expert consensus. A weak source on a strong claim gets the weaker label.
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