Benzyl salicylate on your skin: a safety profile

What is benzyl salicylate?

The IUPAC name is benzyl 2-hydroxybenzoate.

Also known as: benzyl 2-hydroxybenzoate, Benzyl o-hydroxybenzoate, Salicylic Acid Benzyl Ester, Salicylic acid, benzyl ester.

IUPAC name

benzyl 2-hydroxybenzoate

CAS number

118-58-1

Molecular formula

C14H12O3

Molecular weight

228.24 g/mol

SMILES

C1=CC=C(C=C1)COC(=O)C2=CC=CC=C2O

PubChem CID

8363

Regulatory consensus

1 regulatory bodyhas classified Benzyl salicylate.

Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.

Where you encounter benzyl salicylate

• Personal Care — perfume, lotion, sunscreen, soap, shampoo
• Consumer Products — cleaning products, candles
• Fragrance — perfume, cologne, scented personal care products, household fragrance products, candles
  Identified in Fragrance Ingredient Safety Priority Research database (2,325 ingredients)

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Benzyl salicylate:

• Hexyl salicylate (lower sensitization)
  Trade-offs: Alternative fragrance ingredient; individual safety profile should be assessed per IFRA standards; sensitization potential varies by compound; patch testing recommended for sensitive individuals.
  Relative cost: 1.2-2×
• Unscented formulation
  Trade-offs: Eliminates allergen risk entirely; consumer acceptance varies (some associate scent with cleanliness/efficacy); growing market segment; regulatory advantage in EU (no IFRA compliance needed).
  Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions