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BENZYL ALCOHOL
Score
Data: Fair
CAS100-51-6
hair color and bleaching (316 products)
moisturizer (212 products)
facial moisturizer/ treatment (188 products)
conditioner (175 products)
shampoo (157 products)
Show all 2,078 products that contain BENZYL ALCOHOL.
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BENZYL ALCOHOL


image source: PubChem
Health concerns of ingredient
About the ratings
Cancer no information
Developmental & reproductive toxicity no information
Allergies & immunotoxicityyes
Use restrictionsyes
Contamination concerns: none
Other HIGH concerns: Occupational hazards
Other MODERATE concerns: Neurotoxicity, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)

About the ratings

EWG provides information on personal care product ingredients from the published scientific literature, to supplement incomplete data available from companies and the government. The ratings below indicate the relative level of concern posed by exposure to the ingredients in this product - not the product itself - compared to other product formulations. The ratings reflect potential health hazards but do not account for the level of exposure or individual susceptibility, factors which determine actual health risks, if any. Learn more | Legal Disclaimer

Function/use(s): External Analgesic; Fragrance Ingredient; Oral Health Care Drug; Preservative; Solvent;Viscosity Decreasing Agent; MASKING

About BENZYL ALCOHOL: Benzyl alcohol is a naturally ocurring and synthetic ingredient used as solvent and preservative; has been associated with contact allergy.

Synonym(s): BENZENEMETHANOL; BENZYLIC ALCOHOL; PHENYLCARBINOL; PHENYLMETHANOL; PHENYLMETHYL ALCOHOL; A-TOLUENOL; ALPHA-HYDROXYTOLUENE; ALPHA-TOLUENOL; BENZAL ALCOHOL; BENZENECARBINOL; BENZENEMETHANOL

Neurotoxicity

type of concern product conditions reference
Strong evidence of human neurotoxicity    Chemicals known to be neurotoxic to humans

Use restrictions

type of concern product conditions reference
Recommended restricted in cosmetics - use, concentration, or manufacturing restrictions - Product type restrictions or differences noted in safety assessment by industry panel   Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments
Recommended restricted in cosmetics - use, concentration, or manufacturing restrictions - Fragrance subject to restrictions: safe only within recommended use or concentration limitsn)   International Fragrance Association Codes & Standards
Determined safe for use in cosmetics, subject to concentration or use limitations - Safe for use in cosmetics with some qualifications   Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments

Allergies/immunotoxicity

type of concern product conditions reference
One or more human case studies show possible allergenic effects    Verecken, 1998
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Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)

type of concern product conditions reference
Classified as expected to be toxic or harmful    Environment Canada Domestic Substance List
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Occupational hazards

type of concern product conditions reference
Allowed workplace exposures restricted to low doses    European Union - Classification & Labelling

Multiple, additive exposure sources

type of concern product conditions reference
Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food   FDA Everything Added to Food

Data gaps

type of concern product conditions reference
Safety unknown for products that may be inhaled products that may be aerosolized (airborne) Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments
4,607 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemical see search results ->   PubMed

Government, industry, academic studies and classifications
government/industry list/academic study appears on list as classification(s)
European Union - Classification & LabellingBENZYL ALCOHOLXn; R20/22
Cosmetic Ingredient Review AssessmentsBENZYL ALCOHOLQQQ02,QQQ36,QQQ38,QQQ14; M+, C-, R+
FDA Everything Added to FoodBENZYL ALCOHOL• ASP
Verecken, 1998BENZYL ALCOHOLEWG5 - skin sensitizer
National Library of Medicine HazMapBENZYL ALCOHOLSS: Yes;
Chemicals known to be neurotoxic to humansBENZYL ALCOHOLknown to be neurotoxic to humans
Environment Canada Domestic Substance ListBENZENEMETHANOLY-Categorization,Y-Human health,Moderate-Health Priority,,,,,,,
IFRA Fragrance Ingredient ListBENZYL ALCOHOLreported as used in fragrance compounds in 2008
International Fragrance Association Codes & StandardsBENZYL ALCOHOLRestricted

Other RTECS® classifications [shown for informational purposes only]
government/industry list/academic study appears on list as classification(s)
RTECS®- Cosmetics and Toiletries 1979BENZYL ALCOHOL• skin - Primary skin irritant (rabbit )
RTECS®- Cosmetics and Toiletries 1979BENZYL ALCOHOL• skin - Primary skin irritant (rabbit )
RTECS®- Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis 1994BENZYL ALCOHOL• mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: DNA Damage (rat lvr)
RTECS®- Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis 1994BENZYL ALCOHOL• mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: DNA Damage (rat lvr)
RTECS®- Food and Chemical Toxicology 2008BENZYL ALCOHOL• mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: other mutation test systems (Drosophila melanogaster orl)
RTECS®- Food and Cosmetics Toxicology 1973BENZYL ALCOHOL• skin - Primary skin irritant (pig )
RTECS®- Food and Cosmetics Toxicology 1964BENZYL ALCOHOL• brain, nervous system, or behavioral effect - Coma (rat LD50)
• brain, nervous system, or behavioral effect - Excitement (rat LD50)
• brain, nervous system, or behavioral effect - Somnolence (general depressed activity) (rat LD50)
RTECS®- Gigiena i Sanitariya 1985BENZYL ALCOHOL• metabolic - Weight loss or decreased weight gain (rat TDLo)
RTECS®- National Toxicology Program Technical Report Series 1989BENZYL ALCOHOL• brain, nervous system, or behavioral effect - Other degenerative changes (rat TDLo)
• mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Mutation in Micro-organism (mouse lym)
• mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Cytogenetic Analysis (hamster ovr)
RTECS®- Osaka-shi Igakkai Zasshi 1985BENZYL ALCOHOL• mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: DNA repair (Bacillus subtilis )
RTECS®- Osaka-shi Igakkai Zasshi 1985BENZYL ALCOHOL• mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: DNA repair (Bacillus subtilis )
RTECS®- Teratogenesis, Carcinogenesis, and Mutagenesis 1987BENZYL ALCOHOL• reproductive - Growth statistics (mouse TDLo)

references
government/industry list/academic study reference
European Union - Classification & LabellingCPS&Q (Consumer Products Safety & Quality) formely known as ECB (European Chemicals Bureau). 2008. Classification and Labelling: Chemicals: Annex VI of Directive 67/548/EEC through the 31st ATP.
Cosmetic Ingredient Review AssessmentsCIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review). 2006. CIR Compendium, containing abstracts, discussions, and conclusions of CIR cosmetic ingredient safety assessments. Washington DC.
FDA Everything Added to FoodFDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration). 2008. EAFUS [Everything Added to Food]: A Food Additive Database. FDA Office of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.
EWG Assessment of Open Scientific LiteratureVerecken, 1998
National Library of Medicine HazMapNLM (National Library of Medicine). 2006. HazMap — Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Agents.
Chemicals known to be neurotoxic to humansGrandjean P and PJ Landrigan. 2006. Developmental neurotoxicity of industrial chemicals. Lancet. 2006 Dec 16;368(9553):2167-78.
Environment Canada Domestic Substance ListEC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry.
IFRA Fragrance Ingredient ListIFRA (International Fragrance Assocication). 2010. IFRA Fragrance Ingredient List based on 2008 Use Survey. Accessed online 01/04/2010: http://www.ifraorg.org/Home/News/Latest-News/page.aspx/66?xf_itemId=43&xf_selectionDatapartId=25
International Fragrance Association Codes & StandardsIFRA (International Fragrance Association). 2006. Codes and Standards.
RTECS®- Cosmetics and Toiletries 1979 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- Cosmetics and Toiletries. (Allured Pub. Corp., POB 318, Wheaton, IL 60189) V.91- 1976- 94(8),41,1979
RTECS®- Cosmetics and Toiletries 1979 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- Cosmetics and Toiletries. (Allured Pub. Corp., POB 318, Wheaton, IL 60189) V.91- 94(8),41,1979
RTECS®- Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis 1994 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis. (Alan R. Liss, Inc., 41 E. 11th St., New York, NY 10003) V.10- 1987- 24,181,1994
RTECS®- Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis 1994 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis. (Alan R. Liss, Inc., 41 E. 11th St., New York, NY 10003) V.10- 24,181,1994
RTECS®- Food and Chemical Toxicology 2008 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- Food and Chemical Toxicology. (Pergamon Press Inc., Maxwell House, Fairview Park, Elmsford, NY 10523) V.20- 46,1034,2008
RTECS®- Food and Cosmetics Toxicology 1973 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- Food and Cosmetics Toxicology. (London, UK) V.1-19, 1963-81. For publisher information, see FCTOD7. 11,1011,1973
RTECS®- Food and Cosmetics Toxicology 1964 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- Food and Cosmetics Toxicology. (London, UK) V.1-19, 1963-81. For publisher information, see FCTOD7. 2,327,1964
RTECS®- Gigiena i Sanitariya 1985 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- Gigiena i Sanitariya. For English translation, see HYSAAV. (V/O Mezhdunarodnaya Kniga, 113095 Moscow, USSR) V.1- 1936- 50(7),81,1985
RTECS®- National Toxicology Program Technical Report Series 1989 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- National Toxicology Program Technical Report Series. (Research Triangle Park, NC 27709) No.206- NTP-TR-343,1989
RTECS®- Osaka-shi Igakkai Zasshi 1985 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- Osaka-shi Igakkai Zasshi. Journal of Osaka City Medical Association. (Osaka-shi Igakkai, c/o Osaka-shiritsu Daigaku Igakubu, 1-4-54 Asahi-cho, Abeno-ku, Osaka, 545, Japan) V.24- 1975- 34,267,1985
RTECS®- Osaka-shi Igakkai Zasshi 1985 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- Osaka-shi Igakkai Zasshi. Journal of Osaka City Medical Association. (Osaka-shi Igakkai, c/o Osaka-shiritsu Daigaku Igakubu, 1-4-54 Asahi-cho, Abeno-ku, Osaka, 545, Japan) V.24- 34,267,1985
RTECS®- Teratogenesis, Carcinogenesis, and Mutagenesis 1987 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- Teratogenesis, Carcinogenesis, and Mutagenesis. (Alan R. Liss, Inc., 41 E. 11th St., New York, NY 10003) V.1- 1980- 7,29,1987

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