Bu
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Butylphenyl Methylpropional · Butylphenyl Methylpropional (Lilial)
A floral 'muguet' (lily-of-the-valley) fragrance ingredient now banned in EU cosmetics, so it is being phased out of reformulated products.
What it does
Butylphenyl methylpropional, often called Lilial, is a synthetic fragrance with a lily-of-the-valley scent that was widely used to add a clean floral note. The EU banned it from cosmetics in 2022 over safety concerns, so brands have been reformulating to remove it; you may still see it on older stock or non-EU products. Its role was scent only, with no skin function.
The evidence, graded
expert consensusButylphenyl methylpropional — the lily-of-the-valley fragrance sold as Lilial — has been prohibited in EU cosmetics since 1 March 2022 under Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/1902, after it was classified as a category 1B reproductive toxicant. That ban is about reproductive toxicity, not allergy, though it is also one of the EU's 26 declarable fragrance allergens. It is not banned in the US, so a US product or older stock can still list it.EU 2021 · Official Journal of the European Union ↗
Graded per the methodology: strong · moderate · emerging · expert consensus. A weak source on a strong claim gets the weaker label.
Also known as
lilial
Browse all 668 ingredients — grouped by what they do, each with whatever evidence we can cite.
This page is public so a shared ingredient card always has its sources behind it — and so you can check them without an account.
Want more like this?
Every evidence-based flag cites its source, Drop tells you when your routine is complete, and it helps you simplify — instead of selling you more. The app launches on iOS and Android in October 2026. Rate my routine works today at /rate — no sign-in.