Phenyl salicylate (salol) on your skin: a safety profile

What is phenyl salicylate (salol)?

The IUPAC name is phenyl 2-hydroxybenzoate.

Also known as: phenyl 2-hydroxybenzoate, Phenyl salicylate, Salol, Phenol salicylate.

IUPAC name

phenyl 2-hydroxybenzoate

CAS number

118-55-8

Molecular formula

C13H10O3

Molecular weight

214.22 g/mol

SMILES

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

PubChem CID

8361

Regulatory consensus

1 regulatory bodyhas classified Phenyl salicylate (salol).

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 phenyl salicylate (salol)

• Personal Care — sunscreen (historical), cosmetics
• Consumer Products — plastics UV stabilizer
• 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 Phenyl salicylate (salol):

• Unscented formulation; Lower-sensitization structural analog
  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