Chapter 8: Fragrance · Part 1: The listed fragrance allergens
Benzyl alcohol
- Officially classed skin allergen
- Made from a hazardous chemical
The worst fact: in the early 1980s, 16 newborn deaths were thought to be caused by it, used as a preservative in IV flush solutions for newborns' catheters.
Why brands use it: a mild scent, and it also preserves.
Take care if: you have a fragrance allergy.
Comes from: usually made from benzyl chloride, which Australia classes as "May cause cancer". That doesn't mean it's in the product, but it's not a great starting point for something you clean with. It's also found in jasmine and ylang-ylang oils.
Myth check: "it killed babies, so it's dangerous on skin": that was in solutions flushed into newborns' veins, not skin or cleaning use.
Contaminants: nil.
Fair to say: it's in about 1 in 7 scented products tested, and most people never react.
Correct as of November 2026. What the badges mean
Sources
- Safe Work Australia. Hazardous Chemical Information System (HCIS). hcis.safeworkaustralia.gov.au
- US CPSC. Final rule on phthalates, 82 FR 49938 (2017). US FDA. 21 CFR 184.1911 (triethyl citrate). US CDC. MMWR 1982 (benzyl alcohol in newborns).
The full source list is at the end of Chapter 8.