Benzyl alcohol

Chemical Name: Phenylmethanol

CAS Number: 100-51-6

Appearance: Clear, colorless liquid

Odor: Faint, pleasant aromatic (slightly floral)

Purity: (Specify purity level, e.g., "≥99.5%")

Multifunctional Ingredient: Serves as a preservative, solvent, and fragrance component in various formulations.

Effective Preservative: Possesses antimicrobial properties that help inhibit the growth of bacteria, yeasts, and molds, significantly extending the shelf life of products. This makes it an excellent alternative to harsher preservatives.

Powerful Solvent: An excellent solvent for dissolving other ingredients, such as essential oils and fragrance compounds, ensuring a uniform and stable final product. It's particularly valued for its low toxicity and low vapor pressure.

Pleasant Fragrance: Adds a subtle, sweet, floral note to formulations, enhancing the sensory experience of the end product.

Versatile Applications: Widely used in skincare, haircare, soaps, perfumes, and other personal care products, as well as in pharmaceuticals and flavorings.

Cosmetics & Personal Care: As a preservative in lotions, creams, shampoos, and conditioners. It also acts as a solvent for other active ingredients.

Fragrance & Flavor: A key component in perfumes and food flavorings, where it serves as a diluent and fragrance ingredient.

Pharmaceuticals: Used as a preservative in multi-dose injectable medications and some topical treatments.

Industrial Applications: A general solvent for inks, paints, coatings, and adhesives

Specific Products: It is used at these concentrations in a wide variety of products, including lotions, creams, serums, shampoos, and makeup.

pH Efficacy: Its effectiveness as a preservative is generally limited to products with a pH below 5.5.



USAGE PERCENTAGE

As a Preservative

General Range: Benzyl alcohol is most commonly used as a preservative in concentrations of 0.5% to 2%. This range is effective at preventing the growth of bacteria, yeasts, and molds.

As a Solvent

General Range: When used as a solvent to help dissolve other ingredients, particularly fragrances or active compounds, the concentration can be higher, typically ranging from 2% to 5%.

Specific Products: This is common in perfumes, hair serums, and other formulations where a stable, homogeneous mixture is crucial.

As a Fragrance Component

General Range: For its role as a fragrance ingredient, which contributes a subtle, floral aroma, the concentration is much lower, typically ranging from 0.1% to 0.5%.

EU Regulation: In the European Union, if benzyl alcohol is used as a fragrance, its presence must be declared on the product label if its concentration exceeds 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.

As a Viscosity Modifier

General Range: To help adjust the thickness and flow of a product, particularly in gels and sunscreens, it can be used in concentrations of 1% to 3%.