C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
C12-15 alkyl benzoate
- Role
- Adds light slip and softens how the formula feels on skin.
- Catalog formulas
- 21
- Type
- Texture
- Verified
- 06.11.2026
What does this ingredient do in an antiperspirant?
An ester of benzoic acid and C12–C15 alcohols. In cosmetics it works as an emollient and skin-conditioning ingredient.
Part of a system, not a label in isolation
In roll-ons, sticks and sprays it helps the product spread and shapes the after-feel. It does not reduce sweat; that is the job of an aluminum salt, if the formula has one.
The CIR Expert Panel reviewed the alkyl benzoate group and found it safe in the present practices of use and concentration; the available data did not indicate genotoxicity.
The CIR assessment did not single out an irritation concern, though an individual reaction to the finished formula is still possible.
It is not the preservative sodium benzoate or benzyl alcohol: sharing the word “benzoate” does not make them the same substance.
Products containing C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
Links are based on the complete published INCI list for the exact product version.
Sources
The conclusions apply to the stated conditions and jurisdictions, not automatically to every concentration or product.
- CIR: Safety Assessment of Alkyl Benzoates (2012) Supports: function, safety assessment
- COSMILE Europe (Cosmetics Europe): C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate Supports: INCI functions, substance description