Butylparaben is a paraben-family cosmetic ingredient primarily used as an antimicrobial preservative in cosmetic and personal care formulations. It is chemically known as Butyl 4-Hydroxybenzoate and has the molecular formula C₁₁H₁₄O₃ with a molecular weight of 194.23 g/mol. Its CAS Number is 94-26-8 and EC Number is 202-318-7.
Butylparaben is generally supplied as a white crystalline material or crystalline powder. Its chemical and physical characteristics make it suitable for consideration in preservation systems for various cosmetic formulations.
Butylparaben is the butyl ester of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid and belongs to the family of compounds commonly referred to as parabens.
It is also known as:
The material's relatively low water solubility is an important formulation consideration, particularly when developing aqueous cosmetic systems. Published reference data describe Butylparaben as very slightly soluble in water and soluble in ethanol.
Butylparaben functions primarily as an antimicrobial preservative ingredient. Cosmetic formulations containing water or other components that can support microbial growth require an appropriately designed preservation system.
Butylparaben can be considered as one component of such a system, subject to the formulation requirements and regulations applicable to the intended market.
Preservative performance can depend on:
For this reason, Butylparaben should be evaluated as part of the complete finished formulation.
Butylparaben may be considered for selected cosmetic and personal care formulations, including:
Its use and concentration should be established according to the finished formulation and the regulatory requirements of the target market.
Butylparaben should be evaluated together with the complete preservation system. Compatibility with other preservatives and formulation ingredients should be established during development.
Particular attention may be given to interactions with:
Butylparaben has very low water solubility. PubChem references report it as very slightly soluble in water, while other references describe it as soluble in ethanol and certain organic solvents.
This characteristic should be considered when selecting the manufacturing process and incorporation method.
The finished formulation's pH should be evaluated as part of preservative-system development. The appropriate formulation conditions depend on the complete product composition.
The manufacturing process should provide uniform distribution of Butylparaben throughout the finished formulation.
Processing considerations can include:
Before commercial production, compatibility should be evaluated with the other formulation components and packaging system.
Key identity information for Butylparaben includes:
PubChem reports Butylparaben's molecular weight as 194.23 g/mol and describes the material as odorless white crystals or crystalline powder.
For commercial Butylparaben Cosmetic Ingredient supply, the material should be controlled against a documented specification corresponding to the supplied grade.
Quality-control parameters may include:
Published standards can differ. For example, the Eurasian Pharmacopoeia lists 98.0–102.0% for Butyl parahydroxybenzoate, while other pharmacopoeial specifications may differ.
Therefore, this value should not automatically be presented as SDP's product specification. The final CMS numerical values should be taken from the actual SDP specification or COA.
Butylparaben is regulated as a cosmetic preservative in the European Union. The European Commission's SCCS final opinion adopted in October 2023 concluded that Butylparaben could be used as a preservative at concentrations up to 0.14% expressed as acid under the conditions assessed.
There is also a more recent SCCS opinion specifically addressing children's exposure, adopted in April 2025. It found that a 0.14% concentration is not considered safe for certain children age groups when Butylparaben is used in combination across the assessed product categories, while different conclusions apply to individual product categories and lower concentrations.
This is important for SEO content because it is better to avoid stating simply that “0.14% is the permitted limit” without context. Regulatory requirements depend on the target market, product category, formulation and applicable legislation.
Butylparaben should be stored in a suitable, well-closed container and protected from contamination and unsuitable environmental conditions.
Storage practices should protect the material from:
Actual storage requirements should follow the commercial product's specification and Safety Data Sheet.
Butylparaben is a recognized cosmetic preservative ingredient belonging to the paraben family. With CAS Number 94-26-8, molecular formula C₁₁H₁₄O₃, and molecular weight 194.23 g/mol, it is relevant to the development of various cosmetic and personal care preservation systems.
Its crystalline physical form and very low water solubility are important considerations during formulation development. Finished cosmetic products should be evaluated for microbiological protection, formulation compatibility, stability, concentration and the regulatory requirements applicable to the intended market.
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | White or colourless crystals / white powder |