BENZYL SALICYLATE

Name / description

Benzyl Salicylate; Salicylic Acid, Benzyl Ester

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Function(s) of this ingredient in cosmetic products

FRAGRANCE

Enhances the smell of a product and / or perfumes the skin

UV ABSORBER

Protects the cosmetic product from damage caused by UV light

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Origin

synthetic/plant

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Occurrence in cosmetics

Perfumes, toilet waters, aftershaves, various perfumed and natural cosmetics; as UV absorbers for the protection of eg fragrances, colourants and active ingredients in the product and also for the protection of plastics packaging

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Occurrence in other products

Medicinal products and medical devices

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Background information on use in cosmetics

Natural component in essential oils, eg in the gillyflower. Declarable fragrance in accordance with Article 19 Para 1g of the EC Cosmetics Regulation. Fragrances or mixtures of fragrances are often referred to in the cosmetics area as "perfuming agents" or "perfume oils" or "parfum oils". On the cosmetic products they are declared with the INCI name "PARFUM". These are undiluted individual substances or their mixtures which originate from natural raw materials or can be produced (semi-) synthetically. They are starting materials for the production of perfume, eau de parfum, eau de toilette, eau de cologne and other perfumed cosmetic products. The average content of fragrances amounts in perfume to 15-30 %, in eau de parfum to 10-14 %, in eau de toilette to 6-9 %, in eau de cologne to 3-5 % as well as in skin creams, shampoos, hair and deodorant sprays to approximately 0.2-1 % and approximately 1-3 in deodorant sticks. The perfume oils include essential oils, resinoids and absolutes. The sources are, amongst others, flowers, leaves and stems, fruits and fruit peels or roots of plants; woods, grasses or herbs, needles, resins and balsams. Moreover, only compounds isolated from natural products such as aldehydes, ketones, esters, alcohols etc. are used (geraniol, citronellal, citral, eugenol, menthol) as well as semi-synthetic (citronellol, geranyl acetate, jonone) and synthetic scents (eg phenylethyl alcohol and linalool) are used. Scents of animal origin such as musk and ambra are only rarely used.

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Information on safe use

Because of their allergological relevance 26 individual fragrances must be declared in the EU on the packaging of cosmetic products separately. These are alpha-isomethyl ionone, amyl cinnamal, amylcinnamyl alcohol, anise alcohol, benzyl alcohol, benzyl benzoate, benzyl cinnamate, benzyl salicylate, butylphenyl methylpropional, cinnamal, cinnamyl alcohol, citral, citronellol, coumarin, eugenol, Evernia furfuracea extract, Evernia prunastri extract, farnesol, geraniol, hexyl cinnamal, hydroxycitronellal, hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde, isoeugenol, limonene, linalool und methyl 2-octynoate. The labelling of these substances helps allergy sufferers who know that they react allergically to one or more of these substances, to avoid the products. According to a large European study approximately 2 % of the population suffer from a contact allergy against at least one fragrance, whereby women are affected twice as often as men. If there is an initial suspicion of a fragrance allergy, the allergist can carry out an epicutaneous test with two standardised fragrance series (the so-called fragrance mixes 1 and 2). In this connection the suspected allergens are fixed for two days in small cavities with a plaster on the skin on the back. It is observed whether a reaction with reddening and inflammation of the skin, ie an eczema develops in the test field. The two test series of allergenic fragrances allow the identification of a general sensitisation to fragrances in 70 to 80 % of the cases. Because of the partly very low concentration of individual fragrances in cosmetics the threshold concentration to trigger a contact allergy reaction of a substance vis a vis which there is a sensitisation is in many cases not reached under the application conditions, in particular for products which are rinsed off again after use (so-called rinse-off products). In the event of a positive test reaction to a fragrance mix it is by all means required to retest the individual components of the mix. Only then is it possible to precisely state the substances to which the person is allergic. This substance is expressly approved and / or subject to a restriction as a result of an entry in Annex III of the EC Cosmetics Regulation after an assessment by the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety of the EU Commission (SCCS). Restrictions can relate eg to purity criteria, a maximum concentration or the restriction to certain product categories. Subject to the conditions possibly imposed in Annex III, the use of this substance in cosmetic products is safe.

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Why are we talking about it?

Benzyl salicylate is a fragrance allergen. It is also suspected of being an endocrine disruptor. The facts: Benzyl salicylate has a sensitising potential, i.e. it can induce and elicit allergies. It is however classified as a weak sensitizer. It is one of the allergens which must be labelled when present in a product above a certain concentration, so that people who are allergic to this substance can avoid exposure. Because the concentration of this substance in cosmetics is very low, consumers will find the name at the very end of the ingredient list on the label. In many cases, Benzyl Salicylate is a carry-over from botanicals, such as ylang-ylang or jasmine extracts. In vitro studies have found some effects on oestrogens, some of which have also been observed in vivo. Benzyl Salicylate is currently being re-evaluated by European experts for a scientifically sound assessment of a possible endocrine disrupting potential. Endocrine disruption is a recent concept, which explains why there are more in vitro data, which are faster and easier to produce, than in vivo data. In vivo data often contradict in vitro data. A good example is soya, which contains molecules which mimic oestrogens but do not cause any effect in humans. American experts have deemed Benzyl Salicylate safe for use at the concentrations used in cosmetics. The US authorities also allow it as a food additive. Key points to take away: Consumers who are sensitised towards Benzyl Salicylate should avoid using products containing this ingredient. They can identify products to be avoided by checking the ingredients list on the label. In most cases, this ingredient will be stated at the bottom of the list. So far, relevant studies have not confirmed an endocrine disrupting potential, but further investigations are ongoing at European level.

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Further information

For the clarification of a suspicion of a contact allergy this substance can be routinely tested in the epicutaneous test at the dermatologist.

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Belongs to the following substance groups

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Regulating cosmetics

Cosmetics Ingredients are subject to regulation. Please note, different regulations may apply to cosmetic ingredients outside the EU.