Benzyl benzoate is an aromatic chemical, usually appearing as a clear liquid with a mild sweet-balsamic fragrance. This compound appears as a component of some of our fragrance blends.

Benzyl benzoate is a synthetic chemical produced for industry from benzyl alcohol and benzoic acid, but is also naturally present in the essential oils of many plants, including cinnamon, balsam of peru and ylang ylang.

Benzyl benzoate often appears in fragrances, either as a synthetic additive used as a fixative to help preserve the longevity of a fragrance, or as a natural component of the essential oils used in the fragrance. This ingredient is also used in medicine for the topical treatment of some skin conditions.

Studies indicate a small percentage of people can be sensitive to this ingredient, which is why we list in when it's detected in our fragrances, though it only appears at very low concentrations, within the safe use defined by the International Fragrance Association (IFRA). The IFRA is a self-regulatory representative body of the fragrance industry, dedicated to promoting the safe use of fragrances.

Other names: C₁₄H₁₂O₂, Benylate, Phenylmethyl Benzoate, Benzoic Acid Phenylmethyl Ester, Benzy Alcohol Benzoic Ester

Chemical class: Esters

REFERENCES

Johnson, W., Bergfeld, W. F., Belsito, D. V., Hill, R. A., Klaassen, C. D., Liebler, D. C., Marks, J. G., Shank, R. C., Slaga, T. J., Snyder, P. W., & Andersen, F. A. (2017). Safety Assessment of Benzyl Alcohol, Benzoic Acid and its Salts, and Benzyl Benzoate. International journal of toxicology, 36(3_suppl), 5S–30S. https://doi.org/10.1177/1091581817728996

International Fragrance Association Standard (2020). Benzyl benzoate. Retrieved on September 29, 2021 from https://ifrafragrance.org/standards/IFRA_STD_009.pdf

National Center for Biotechnology Information (2021). PubChem Compound Summary for CID 2345, Benzyl benzoate. Retrieved September 29, 2021 from https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Benzyl-benzoate.