BENZYL BENZOATE
Official label name (INCIInternational name of cosmetic ingredients: the one printed on the pack. name, EU glossary of cosmetic ingredient names), No 3244
- Allowed with restrictions (Annex III)
BENZYL BENZOATE: Allowed with restrictions (Annex III, entry 85), under Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009. Good to know: hazardous to the aquatic environment; allergen to name on the label above 0.001% in a leave-on product and 0.01% in a rinse-off product. Annexes of the Regulation consulted on 23 October 2026.
Who it concerns
What official classifications and rules say for each group. A classification describes the hazard of the pure substance, not the risk of a product that contains it, which depends on the dose and the exposure.
Prohibition or serious classificationThe text prohibits the substance for this use, or ranks it among the most serious hazards (known or presumed carcinogenic, mutagenic or reprotoxic, identified endocrine disruptor).Worth watchingThe text sets a condition or flags a hazard worth knowing: allergen, suspected effect, condition for children, hazard to the aquatic environment.For informationOfficial information with no condition on a finished product: warning to read, irritation of the pure substance.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
No classification harmonised by the European Union covers reproduction, the unborn child or breastfeeding for this substance. This does not mean it has been judged to have no effect during pregnancy.
Babies and children
The Cosmetics Regulation sets no age-related condition for this ingredient.
Skin, eyes and allergies
Worth watchingThe text sets a condition or flags a hazard worth knowing: allergen, suspected effect, condition for children, hazard to the aquatic environment.
Worth watching Allergen to declare: Annex III, entry 85, requires it to be named in the ingredient list above 0.001% in a leave-on product and 0.01% in a rinse-off product, so that allergic people can avoid it.
Environment
For informationOfficial information with no condition on a finished product: warning to read, irritation of the pure substance.
For information Classified under the CLPEU regulation that classifies chemicals by their hazards (EC No 1272/2008). Regulation: hazardous to the aquatic environment, long term, category 2 (Aquatic Chronic 2).
Read on the label
The Cosmetics Regulation requires no warning to be printed for this ingredient.
CosIng, Annex III of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 (restricted substances), retrieved 23 October 2026, source updated 13 October 2026.
Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP), consolidated version, Annex VI table 3, retrieved 21 October 2026.
In plain words
What it is used for
Functions declared by manufacturers:
Antimicrobial: helps control the growth of micro-organisms on the skin.
Solvent: dissolves other substances.
Perfuming.
Functions declared in the CosIngThe European Commission's database of cosmetic ingredients. inventory. CosIng, inventory of cosmetic ingredients (INCI names, CAS, EC, functions), retrieved 21 October 2026.
Definitions of functions (decision repealed on 8 May 2020, cited for information). Decision 2006/257/EC, inventory of cosmetic ingredients (definitions of functions), retrieved 22 October 2026.
What the rules say
Allowed, with restrictions: Annex III sets conditions of use. Ingredient lists do not give quantities, so the concentration cannot be checked on the label.
CosIng, Annex III of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 (restricted substances), retrieved 23 October 2026, source updated 13 October 2026.
Origin and odour
Molecule occurring naturally in plants or organisms; the cosmetic ingredient may be extracted from them, produced by fermentation or synthesised: the label does not say which.
Basis: one CosIng CAS and natural occurrence recorded in Wikidata (LOTUS database).
Wikidata: names of substances in six languages and taxa in which they occur (largely from the LOTUS database), retrieved 23 October 2026.
Natural occurrence recorded in Wikidata (LOTUS database): 82 taxa; examples: Uvaria acuminata, Uvaria angolensis, Cinnamomum verum, Cinnamomum cassia, Aniba.
Wikidata: names of substances in six languages and taxa in which they occur (largely from the LOTUS database), retrieved 23 October 2026.
Odour described (source text in English)
Faint, pleasant, aromatic odorO'Neil, M.J. (ed.). The Merck Index - An Encyclopedia of Chemicals, Drugs, and Biologicals. Cambridge, UK: Royal Society of Chemistry, 2013., p. 199
HSDB, NLM web policies, public domain. PubChem (NCBI, NIH): odor descriptions of fragrance ingredients, with their references, retrieved 24 October 2026.
Odour described (source text in English)
Light, balsamic odor reminiscent of almondBurdock, G.A. (ed.). Fenaroli's Handbook of Flavor Ingredients. 6th ed.Boca Raton, FL 2010, p. 145
HSDB, NLM web policies, public domain. PubChem (NCBI, NIH): odor descriptions of fragrance ingredients, with their references, retrieved 24 October 2026.
Other names: benzoate de benzyle (French), Benzoesäurebenzylester (German), Benzoato de bencilo (Spanish), Benzoato di benzile (Italian), benzoato de benzila (Portuguese).
Wikidata: names of substances in six languages and taxa in which they occur (largely from the LOTUS database), retrieved 23 October 2026.
Present in 3.5% of recorded cosmetics (677 out of 19 458), mainly: deodorants, eaux de toilette, shampoos.
Open Beauty Facts, export of cosmetic products, retrieved 23 October 2026.
Data “Open Beauty Facts and its contributors”, licensed under ODbL 1.0 (opendatacommons.org/licenses/odbl/1-0); derived table distributed under the same licence.
The text of the annexes
Allowed with restrictions
- Other conditions
- The presence of the substance must be indicated in the list of ingredients referred to in Article 19(1)g when its concentration exceeds: - 0.001% in leave-on products - 0.01% in rinse-off products
- Entry
- Annex III, No 85
- Substance
- Benzyl benzoate
- Glossary names
- Benzyl benzoate
- CAS
- 120-51-4
- EC
- 204-402-9
Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Annex III, entry 85. CosIng, Annex III of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 (restricted substances), retrieved 23 October 2026, source updated 13 October 2026.
Entry from Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, adopted on 30 November 2009.
SCCSEU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety: it assesses cosmetic ingredients. opinions cited: Opinion concerning Essential Oils; Opinion concerning Fragrance Allergy in Consumers - A Review of the Problem - Analysis of the need for appropriate Consumer Information and Identification of Consumer Allergens; Opinion concerning the Interim Position on Fragrance Allergy; Memorandum on the SCCNFP Opinion concerning Fragrance Allergy.
What has changed, and what will change
Dates of the texts that cover this ingredient. A text date may cover several substances: the details of each entry are below.
Annex III, entry 85: introduced or replaced by Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009
Annex III, entry 85: applies from this date
CLP classification “Acute Tox. 4 *” applicable at the latest from this date (Regulation (EU) 2018/669)
Identity
- CosIng identifier
- 32154
- CAS (according to CosIng)
- 120-51-4
- EC (according to CosIng)
- 204-402-9
- Declared functions
- Antimicrobial, Solvent, Perfuming
- Wikidata
- Q413755
- PubChem
- 2345
- ECHA InfoCard
- 100.004.003
- InChIKey
- SESFRYSPDFLNCH-UHFFFAOYSA-N
CosIng inventory. CosIng, inventory of cosmetic ingredients (INCI names, CAS, EC, functions), retrieved 21 October 2026.
Wikidata, items with a CosIng identifier (P3073), retrieved 22 October 2026.
Wikidata, PubChem and ECHAEuropean Chemicals Agency. links are published only when verified: same CosIng identifier, a single item, matching CAS number.
Classified hazard (CLP Regulation)
The harmonised classification is the one set by the European Union for the whole Union. H codes refer to the hazard statements of Annex III of Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008.
benzyl benzoate
Neither carcinogenic, mutagenic nor toxic for reproduction under the harmonised classification
- Hazard classes
- Acute toxicity, category 4 (Acute Tox. 4)
Hazardous to the aquatic environment, long term, category 2 (Aquatic Chronic 2) - Hazard statements
- H302 H411
Annex VI, entry 607-085-00-9, linked by CAS 120-51-4. Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP), consolidated version, Annex VI table 3, retrieved 21 October 2026.
Entry introduced or replaced by Regulation (EU) 2018/669, applicable at the latest from 1 December 2019.
EU product alerts (Safety Gate)
8 alerts on cosmetic products cite this name in their hazard description. An alert targets a specific product, not the ingredient itself. Under each alert, its reason (prohibited substance, limit exceeded, missing labelling, and so on), as published.
- 6 September 2024: Perfume, BLACK OPIUM, Czechia (“Serious risk”) alert
The product contains d-limonene, linalool, benzyl alcoholcitronellol, geraniol, cinnamyl alcohol, hexyl cinnamal, benzyl benzoate and benzyl salicylate, but their presence is not indicated in the list of ingredients. Consumers are not aware of their presence… - 27 October 2023: Eau de toilette, ELODE, Czechia (“Serious risk”) alert
According to the list of ingredients the product contains 2-(4-tert-butylbenzyl) propionaldehyde (BMHCA), which is forbidden in cosmetic products. BMHCA may harm the reproductive system, may harm the health of the unborn child and may cause skin… - 13 May 2022: Beard oil, Mr. Burton's, Germany (“Serious risk”) alert
The product contains the fragrances limonene, citral, cinnamal and benzyl benzoate (measured values: up to 0.019%, 0.0027%, 0.0042% and 0.0035% by weight, respectively).Since these substances, which can induce allergic reactions and sensitisation, are not…
5 other alerts
- 19 June 2020: Perfume, ELIZABETH ARDEN, Czechia (“Serious risk”) alert
The perfume contains the fragrances benzyl salicylate, butylphenyl methylpropional, hydroxycitronellal, linalool, citronellol, d-limonene, geraniol, eugenol, benzyl benzoate and farnesol (measured values: 1.2 %, 0.93 %, 0.43 %, 0.41 %, 0.31 %, 0.22 %, 0.15 %… - 17 May 2019: Perfume, VANDAN, Czechia (“Serious risk”) alert
The perfume contains the fragrances linalool, butylphenyl methylpropional, d-Limonene, benzyl salicylate, alpha – isomethyl ionone, benzyl benzoate, citral, citronellol, geraniol, hexyl cinnamal and eugenol (measured values: 0.3 %, 0.066 %, 0.066 %, 0.021 %… - 15 March 2019: Perfume, VANDAN, Czechia (“Serious risk”) alert
The perfume contains the fragrances hexyl cinnamal, hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde, linalool, benzyl benzoate, coumarin, hydroxycitronellal, citronellol, eugenol, geraniol, isoeugenol, alpha - isomethyl ionone, benzyl alcohol and d-Limonene… - 4 January 2019: Perfume, YVFS SAINT LAORFNT, Czechia (“Serious risk”) alert
The perfume contains hexyl cinnamal, linalool, benzyl benzoate, coumarin, citronellol, eugenol, cyclohexene carboxaldehyde and geraniol (measured values: 0.41%, 0.038%, 0.019%, 0.013%, 0.012%, 0.0097%, 0.0077% and 0.024 by weight, respectively). These… - 30 March 2018: Perfume, DICOO, Czechia (“Serious risk”) alert
The perfume contains the fragrances limonene, linalool, benzyl alcohol, citronellol, geraniol, eugenol, butylphenyl methylpropional as well as hexyl cinnamal, benzyl benzoate and benzyl salicylate in excess of 0.001%. Since these substances, which can induce…
Safety Gate, EU rapid alert system for dangerous non-food products: cosmetic alerts from the weekly reports, retrieved 23 October 2026.
Source: European Commission, Safety GateEU rapid alert system for dangerous non-food products. weekly reports (CC0).
Elsewhere in the world
Information on other jurisdictions, with no effect on sale in France. What is covered, and what is not yet.
Comparison between countries
Most restrictive status in each country, and the maximum concentration cited. The details and the source of each rule follow.
| Country | Rule | Maximum concentration cited |
|---|---|---|
| European Union | Allowed with restrictions | not cited |
| United Kingdom | Allowed with restrictions | not cited |
| Switzerland | EU Regulation applies | not cited |
| United States (federal) | No federal rule recorded | not cited |
| Japan | No entry in the lists recorded | not cited |
| South Korea | No entry in the lists recorded | not cited |
| China | Not on the prohibited lists recorded (lists of allowed substances are not recorded) | not cited |
| Australia | No entry in the lists recorded | not cited |
| Brazil | No entry in the lists recorded | not cited |
United Kingdom (Great Britain)
- Allowed with restrictions (Annex III)
Same entries as in the European Union. Their maximum concentrations are compared in the “Comparison between countries” table; other conditions (product types, warnings) may differ.
Annexes II to VI in force. United Kingdom, Annexes II to VI of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 as retained and amended, retrieved 21 October 2026.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Northern Ireland applies EU law.
Switzerland
Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 applies in Switzerland (Article 54 of the Ordinance on Foodstuffs and Utility Articles).
Switzerland, FDHA Ordinance on Cosmetic Products (OCos, SR 817.023.31), consolidated version, retrieved 22 October 2026.
United States, federal rules
None of the integrated sections of the federal code (21 CFR 700.11 to 700.27 and 250.250) targets this name. The FDA does not publish a list of allowed ingredients.
United States, 21 CFR part 700 and section 250.250 (FDA rules on cosmetic ingredients), eCFR, retrieved 21 October 2026.
The eCFR is not an official legal edition of the Code of Federal Regulations.
Recorded cosmetics that contain it
677 recorded products list it, according to Open Beauty Facts contributors. Records are dated: the formula may have changed. See the list (in French).
Open Beauty Facts, export of cosmetic products, retrieved 23 October 2026.
Data “Open Beauty Facts and its contributors”, licensed under ODbL 1.0 (opendatacommons.org/licenses/odbl/1-0); derived table distributed under the same licence.
Glossary: Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1175. Page updated on 23 October 2026.