SPF Scout · Ingredient

Benzalkonium Chloride

Antistatic (reduces static)Deodorant (masks or reduces odour)Dispersing (spreads solids evenly through the formula)Preservative (inhibits microbial growth)Surfactant (cleanses or mixes oil and water)

CAS 8001-54-5

What this ingredient generally does

This is a multi-tasking ingredient that acts as a preservative and antimicrobial, keeping the product from spoiling. It also helps disperse ingredients so oil and water blend, works as a deodorant, and controls static. On some labels it may appear abbreviated as BAC.

Reviewed before publication. This note describes function in a formulation — nothing else.

Published formulations that list this ingredient

These are the formulations currently published in the SPF Scout catalog whose stored ingredient declaration includes this ingredient. It is not a list of every product on the market, and the order carries no meaning.

Checking this against your own list

You can select this ingredient in the SPF Scout app as one to flag. The app compares your selections against a product's stored declaration on your device; your list never reaches this website.

This comparison does not predict whether your skin will react.

Where this information comes from

Ingredient names, CAS numbers and recorded functions come from SPF Scout’s curated ingredient dictionary, grounded in CosIng, the European Commission’s Cosmetic Ingredient Database. Content © European Union, reused with acknowledgement.

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