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InventoryRef 3152711/08/2020

4-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID

4-hydroxybenzoic acid

4-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID is linked to 1 EU annex record on this page. Inventory note: V/12.

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Regulatory evidence by market

This matrix separates verified ingredient rules from sources that are mapped but not yet imported. No imported rule does not mean the ingredient is permitted.

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MarketEvidence statusRecordsSource language
European UnionEvidence linked
Positive-list entry with conditions
Open this evidence		1English and EU languages
Great BritainEvidence linked
Permitted list with conditions
Open this evidence		1English
CanadaSource mapped
Official source mapped; ingredient rule not imported
0English and French
New ZealandEvidence linked
Permitted list with conditions
Open this evidence		1English
ASEANEvidence linked
Permitted list with conditions
Open this evidence		1English and national languages
ChinaSource mapped
Official source mapped; ingredient rule not imported
0Chinese with selected English material
JapanSource mapped
Official source mapped; ingredient rule not imported
0Japanese; official English translation available
South KoreaEvidence linked
Restricted
Open this evidence		1Korean with some English names
United StatesSource mapped
Official source mapped; ingredient rule not imported
0English
AustraliaSource mapped
Official source mapped; ingredient rule not imported
0English
BrazilSource mapped
Official source mapped; ingredient rule not imported
0Portuguese with INCI crosswalks
IndiaSource mapped
Official source mapped; ingredient rule not imported
0English and Hindi
Saudi ArabiaSource mapped
Official source mapped; ingredient rule not imported
0Arabic and English

Chemical identity and properties

PubChem 2D chemical structure for CAS 99-96-7
CAS 99-96-7PubChem CID 135

4-Hydroxybenzoic Acid

4-hydroxybenzoic acid is a monohydroxybenzoic acid that is benzoic acid carrying a hydroxy substituent at C-4 of the benzene ring. It has a role as a plant metabolite and an algal metabolite. It is a conjugate acid of a 4-hydroxybenzoate. — ChEBI

IUPAC name
4-hydroxybenzoic acid
Molecular formula
C7H6O3
Molecular weight
138.12 g/mol
Exact mass
138.031694049 Da
XLogP3
1.6
Topological polar surface area
57.5 Ų
Hydrogen-bond donors
2
Hydrogen-bond acceptors
3
Covalent units
1
Defined stereocentres
0

Also known as

p-Hydroxybenzoic acidp-Salicylic acid4-CarboxyphenolBenzoic acid, 4-hydroxy-Benzoic acid, p-hydroxy-para-Hydroxybenzoic acidp-OxybenzoesaureJG8Z55Y12H
16 more reported names
NSC-4961FEMA NO. 3986CHEBI:30763CHEBI:17879RefChem:25955202-804-94-Hydroxybenzoatep-carboxyphenol4-hydroxy benzoic acidHydroxybenzoic acid4-HydroxybenzoesaeureParaben-acidp-Oxybenzoesaure [German]p-hydroxy benzoic acid4-hydroxy-benzoic acidAcido p-idrossibenzoico [Italian]
Open full PubChem recordPubChem annotations3D structure image
External database identifiers

Retrieved from NIH PubChem on 2026-08-31 by checksum-valid CAS matching. Chemical properties do not replace the regulatory decision on this page.

Inventory details for 4-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID

INCI name

4-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID

Description

4-hydroxybenzoic acid

Record provenance

Inventory reference
31527
Imported identity
4-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID
Source update
11/08/2020
European Commission CosIng source notes

Key data

CAS
99-96-7
EC
202-804-9
Restriction
V/12
Function
FRAGRANCE
Imparting an odour or taste. Creating a perceivable pleasant smell and/or masking a bad smell.
PRESERVATIVE
Exclusively or mainly intended to inhibit the development of micro-organisms in the cosmetic product. All authorised preservatives are substances in the positive list of Annex V to the Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009.

Official EU ingredient-name evidence

The ingredient name exactly matches the official 2025 EU glossary of common ingredient names.

#331 · 4-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID

The 5 markets that hold a rule for this substance do not classify it the same way.

restricted
South Korea
permitted on a positive list
European UnionGreat BritainNew ZealandASEAN

See every substance the markets disagree about

Ingredients with overlapping formulation functions

2-BROMO-2-NITROPROPANE-1,3-DIOLPRESERVATIVE
5-BROMO-5-NITRO-1,3-DIOXANEPRESERVATIVE
7-ETHYLBICYCLOOXAZOLIDINEPRESERVATIVE
ALPINIA SPECIOSA FLOWER/ LEAF/SEED/ STEM EXTRACTANTIOXIDANT, PRESERVATIVE
ALPINIA SPECIOSA FLOWER/LEAF/SEED/STEM EXTRACTANTIOXIDANT, PRESERVATIVE
ALPINIA SPECIOSA LEAF/STEM FERMENTANTIOXIDANT, PRESERVATIVE
AMMONIUM BENZOATEPRESERVATIVE
AMMONIUM BISULFITEHAIR WAVING OR STRAIGHTENING, PRESERVATIVE, REDUCING

Additional official and scientific sources

11 external databases to check this identity in

Each link searches that source for this identity. What each source is, and its legal weight

ECHA CHEM / Information on chemicalsPubChem PUG RESTEU Safety Gate cosmetic product alertsECHA CHEMUS EPA CompToxCosmetic Ingredient Review safety assessmentsFDA Global Substance Registration SystemILO/WHO International Chemical Safety CardsJapan NITE-CHRIPNIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical HazardsOECD eChemPortal

How 4-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID appears in the CosIng inventory

The CosIng inventory lists 4-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID as a cosmetic ingredient and this page links it to 1 annex record. The inventory entry captures names and identifiers, while the annex record shows where the substance is prohibited, restricted or positively listed in EU cosmetics law.

4-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID is also tagged with 2 cosmetic functions in the official data. Function labels describe intended use, but they do not replace regulatory review of linked annex records before formulation or labelling work.

Frequently asked questions

4-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID appears in the EU CosIng inventory and has linked annex records. Check the annex records above for applicable restrictions, concentration limits and conditions of use. Annex II listing means prohibited; Annex III means restricted; Annexes IV, V and VI mean permitted under specified conditions.

The restriction field for 4-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID reads: "V/12". This is the restriction note recorded in the CosIng inventory for this ingredient. For authoritative conditions and limits, always refer to the linked annex entries above.

According to the EU CosIng inventory, 4-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID carries the following function designation(s):

CAS 99-96-7 may appear across multiple EU annex records. Viewing the CAS lookup page shows all Annex II–VI entries sharing this identifier, which is useful for identifying cross-annex regulatory status of the same chemical substance.
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Source note for 4-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID

This page combines the CosIng inventory entry for 4-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID with 1 linked Annex II–VI record from the local dataset built from public European Commission cosmetic ingredient materials.

Use this inventory page to research 4-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID and compare linked records, but verify restrictions and legal status against the current official source text and law before making regulatory decisions.

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