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

Benzyl salicylate is a synthetic chemical produced for industry from benzyl alcohol and salicylic acid, however it can be found naturally in some plants and plant extracts, such as hyacinth flower oil and ylang-ylang oil. It's used as a fixative and solvent in cosmetic fragrances, and is also used in some sunscreens for its UV light absorbing properties.

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: C₁₄H₁₂O₃; Salicylic Acid, Benzyl Ester; Benzyl 2-Hydroxybenzoate

Chemical class: Esters

REFERENCES

Kohrman, K. A., Booman, K. A., Dorsky, J., Rothenstein, A. S., Sedlak, R. I., Steltenkamp, R. J., & Thompson, G. R. (1983). Benzyl salicylate: a survey of consumer patch-test sensitization. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association, 21(6), 741–744. https://doi.org/10.1016/0278-6915(83)90206-5

National Center for Biotechnology Information (2021). PubChem Compound Summary for CID 8363, Benzyl salicylate. Retrieved September 29, 2021 from https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Benzyl-salicylate.

International Fragrance Association Standard (2020). Benzyl salicylate Retrieved on September 29, 2021 from https://ifrafragrance.org/standards/IFRA_STD_011.pdf