Is Benzylparaben safe in cosmetics?
Benzylparaben has a safety rating of "POOR" in our database. EU status: prohibited. US status: restricted. 2 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.
Benzylparaben
Also known as: Benzyl 4-hydroxybenzoate, Benzoic acid, 4-hydroxy-, phenylmethyl ester, Benzyl Parasept, Benzyl Tegosept, Benzyl-Parasept (+8 more)
INCI: BENZYLPARABEN
Benzylparaben (CAS 94-18-8) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Preservative (antimicrobial). Reported NOAEL =10 mg/kg bw/day in Mouse (ECHA); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: prohibited. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in industrial chemical safety and pharmaceutical data.
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
Benzylparaben is prohibited in EU cosmetics but has active industrial GHS classifications (H315, H319, H335).
Source: Cosmetics: ingredients.eu status; Chemicals: ghs classifications.signal word/hazard statement code
Function
Preservative (antimicrobial)
Editorial assessment
POOR
Preliminary editorial note — not a computed safety verdict.
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
prohibited
US US Status
restricted
US Notes
Not specifically banned by FDA; however, CIR Expert Panel noted the EU ban and flagged insufficient safety data
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Benzylparaben.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Toxicological Studies
2 study endpoints found for Benzylparaben. NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) values are used to calculate the Margin of Safety per SCCS methodology.
| Endpoint | Value | Route | Species | Study Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOAEL | =10 mg/kg bw/day | dermal | Mouse | short-term | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =3000 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Mouse | short-term | ECHA |
Sensitization Profile
Contact sensitization data for Benzylparaben based on clinical patch test studies and IFRA standards.
Sensitization Rate
low
Allergen Class
preservative
EU Allergen Listed
no
Patch Test Positive Rate
0.2%
Cross-reactivity Group
paraben-group
Reaction Type
contact-dermatitis
Source: SCCS Opinion
Endocrine Disruptor Evidence (Expanded)
Cross-referenced EDC classifications, mechanism data, and dose-response evidence from EDLists, SIN List, and cosmetic-specific detail sources.
Cosmetic-Specific Mechanism
Category: paraben
Receptor targets: ERα
LOEC: 1 µM
EU status: restricted (≤0.4%)
agonist
Dose-Response Data Points
| Endpoint | Target | Value | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Displacement of T4/estrogen from AFP carrier protein | ER (indirect via AFP) | EC50/IC50: IC50 0.012 uM AFP binding (most potent paraben for AFP); LOEC: 0.01 uM; NOEC: 0.001 uM mixed | agonist |
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
Ceased manufacture
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
EU CosIng Annex Listing
European Commission CosIng database Annex references per Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009.
Annex II — Prohibited
Ref: 1377
(EU) 2014/358
Expanded Jurisdictional Detail
Additional regulatory detail beyond the 7-jurisdiction summary: Saudi SFDA, Korea MFDS, ASEAN ACD, Japan/Korea, Brazil/India, and cross-jurisdictional restriction entries.
SA Saudi SFDA (II - Prohibited)
ASEAN Cosmetic Directive (II)
Ref: 1377
BRIN Brazil/India Cosmetics
Brazil: Prohibited
India: Prohibited (GNRAS)
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Biocide
Food preservative
Regulatory List Membership (2)
EU Banned in Cosmetics
EU CosIng Cosmetics Ingredient Database
Editorial summary
Preliminary editorial summary for Benzylparaben — not a computed safety verdict. See the sourced toxicological data above.
Regulatory Flags
preservative
eu_banned_cosmetics
eu_cosing_listed
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Benzylparaben by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
2
Lowest NOAEL
10 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
3000 mg/kg bw/day
ECHA
Known Synonyms
Benzyl 4-hydroxybenzoate
Benzoic acid, 4-hydroxy-, phenylmethyl ester
Benzyl Parasept
Benzyl Tegosept
Benzyl-Parasept
EINECS 202-311-9
p-Hydroxybenzoic acid benzyl ester
Nipabenzyl
NSC 8080
Parosept
Solbrol Z
UNII-8Y41DYV4VG
Benzyl parahydroxybenzoate
Chemical Function
Biocide
Food preservative
Regulatory Lists
banned; Europe; Personal care
active_ingredient; animal_products; Europe; pharmaceutical; residue
detected; Personal care; Southeast Asia
detected; MN Chemical Screening; surface_water
Canada; pharmaceutical
Canada; pharmaceutical
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
Cross-Vertical Safety Context
Same-CAS public records found in pharmaceutical data.
SOURCE
ChEMBL / DrugCentral / FAERS
DB_PHARMA CAS match
Pharmaceutical Data
Same-CAS rows from the pharmaceutical spoke database.
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL447861
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Benzylparaben allowed in the EU?
Benzylparaben EU regulatory status: prohibited. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Benzylparaben do in cosmetics?
Benzylparaben functions as: Preservative (antimicrobial). It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 94-18-8.
What is the NOAEL for Benzylparaben?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Benzylparaben is =10 mg/kg bw/day based on a short-term study via dermal route in Mouse. A total of 2 study endpoints are available. Source: ECHA.
Is Benzylparaben used outside cosmetics?
Benzylparaben also appears in industrial chemical safety and pharmaceutical data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Does Benzylparaben have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
Benzylparaben is prohibited in EU cosmetics but has active industrial GHS classifications (H315, H319, H335).
Compliance Tools
Check Benzylparaben compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
Paste a full ingredient list for instant analysis
82 Allergen Checker
Check for EU declarable fragrance allergens
Substance Compliance
Check compliance across multiple jurisdictions
MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
Heavy Metal Limits
Compare limits across jurisdictions
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