CosmeticBet
Preservatives

Methylparaben

INCI: METHYLPARABEN · also Methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate

A preservative for nearly a century, judged safe at the EU’s limits.

drag to turn
C8H8O3152.15 g/mol
oxygencarbonhydrogen
3D shape from PubChem 7456

How common

All products3.9%
In hair colours14%
In make-up products13%
In body lotions11%

570 of 14,784 products with a full ingredient list in Open Beauty Facts; No. 73 of all the names found on their labels.

What it is

  • One of the parabens, a family of related preservatives made from 4-hydroxybenzoic acid; methylparaben is the one made with methanol. It also occurs naturally in some fruits, such as blueberries.

    4 sourcesHide
    Parabens are a family of related chemicals that are commonly used as preservatives in cosmetic products.[1] US Food and Drug Administration · open source
    Parabens is the name given to a group of p-hydroxybenzoic acid (PHBA) esters[2] Study · 2008 · open source
    Methylparaben is a 4-hydroxybenzoate ester resulting from the formal condensation of the carboxy group of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid with methanol.[3] PubChem (US National Library of Medicine) · open source
    It occurs naturally in several fruits, particularly in blueberries.[3] PubChem (US National Library of Medicine) · open source

  • Parabens have preserved foods, medicines and cosmetics for nearly a hundred years.

    SourceHide
    Parabens have been used as preservatives in foods, injectables, and topical preparations for nearly 10 decades.[4] Review · 2015 · open source

Why it is in products

  • To stop bacteria and mould from growing in the product, which protects both the product and the person using it.

    SourceHide
    Preservatives may be used in cosmetics to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria and mold, in order to protect both the products and consumers.[1] US Food and Drug Administration · open source

  • Labels often list more than one paraben, and parabens are often combined with other preservatives to cover a wider range of germs.

    SourceHide
    Product ingredient labels typically list more than one paraben in a product, and parabens are often used in combination with other types of preservatives to better protect against a broad range of microorganisms.[1] US Food and Drug Administration · open source

What it does

  • Some of it enters the skin, where enzymes break parabens down; they do not build up in the body.

    Well established3 sourcesHide
    Parabens in cosmetic formulations applied to skin penetrate the stratum corneum in inverse relation to the ester chain length.[2] Study · 2008 · open source
    Carboxylesterases hydrolyze parabens in the skin. Parabens do not accumulate in the body.[2] Study · 2008 · open source
    rapidly metabolized by skin and liver enzymes[4] Review · 2015 · open source

Downsides and safety

  • Parabens have been scrutinised for about 20 years over fears about hormones, cancer and fertility. EU scientists confirmed that methylparaben is safe at the maximum amounts allowed, and the FDA says it has no information that parabens as used in cosmetics affect health.

    Well established4 sourcesHide
    the gravity of the noncutaneous adverse health effects for which they have been scrutinized for the past 20 years[5] Review · 2019 · open source
    These include endocrine activity, carcinogenesis, infertility[5] Review · 2019 · open source
    The SCCS confirmed that methylparaben and ethylparaben are safe at the maximum authorised concentrations.[6] EU law · 2014 · open source
    At this time, we do not have information showing that parabens as they are used in cosmetics have an effect on human health.[1] US Food and Drug Administration · open source

  • Reviews find methylparaben’s hormone-like activity negligible, and claims that parabens cause cancer or other serious illness premature.

    Good evidence2 sourcesHide
    Despite that methylparaben and ethylparaben have negligible endocrine disruption activity[4] Review · 2015 · open source
    Based on currently available scientific information, claims that parabens are involved in the genesis or propagation of these controversial and important health problems are premature.[5] Review · 2019 · open source

  • Allergy to parabens is rare: the American Contact Dermatitis Society named them its “(non)allergen of the year”.

    Good evidenceSourceHide
    Parabens now being formally declared as the American Contact Dermatitis Society (non)allergen of the year, the allergologic concerns regarding parabens raised during the past century are no longer a significant issue.[5] Review · 2019 · open source

  • Avoiding parabens has a cost, a review warns: some preservatives used instead have caused many allergies, even worldwide epidemics.

    Some evidenceSourceHide
    replacing parabens with other biocides that cause multiple cases, and even worldwide epidemics, of allergic contact sensitization[4] Review · 2015 · open source

Where it works

Works insidethe product

It works in the product, keeping germs from growing there.

SourceHide
Preservatives may be used in cosmetics to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria and mold, in order to protect both the products and consumers.[1] US Food and Drug Administration · open source

Rules

European Union

  • Allowed as a preservative up to 0.4% (counted as the acid), and up to 0.8% for mixtures of parabens.

    2 sourcesHide
    12 4-Hydroxybenzoic acid and its Methyl- and Ethyl-esters, and their salts[7] EU law · 2026 · open source
    0,4 % (as acid) for single ester 0,8 % (as acid) for mixtures of esters[7] EU law · 2026 · open source

  • A 2014 rule banned five other parabens (isopropyl-, isobutyl-, phenyl-, benzyl- and pentylparaben), because industry gave too little safety data on them.

    2 sourcesHide
    the SCCS noted that limited or no information was submitted by industry for the safety evaluation of isopropylparaben, isobutylparaben, phenylparaben, benzylparaben and pentylparaben[6] EU law · 2014 · open source
    they should be listed in Annex II to make clear that they are prohibited in cosmetic products[6] EU law · 2014 · open source

United States

  • Not on the FDA’s list of prohibited or restricted cosmetic ingredients. In the US, cosmetics and their ingredients (other than colour additives) don’t need FDA approval before sale.

    SourceHide
    Under U.S. law, cosmetic products and ingredients, other than color additives, do not need FDA approval before they go on the market[8] US Food and Drug Administration · open source
    We searched the FDA’s list of prohibited and restricted cosmetic ingredients: no entry.open the list

  • The US expert panel considers parabens safe when, all together, they make up no more than 0.8% of a product.

    SourceHide
    safe in cosmetics in the present practices of use and concentration described in this safety assessment when the sum of the total parabens in any given formulation does not exceed 0.8%[9] US Cosmetic Ingredient Review expert panel · 2020 · open source

How much is used

  • Up to 0.4% alone, or up to 0.8% for a mix of parabens.

    SourceHide
    used in over 22,000 cosmetics as preservatives at concentrations up to 0.8% (mixtures of parabens) or up to 0.4% (single paraben)[2] Study · 2008 · open source

Sources

  1. Parabens in Cosmetics | FDA US Food and Drug Administration
  2. Final amended report on the safety assessment of Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Isopropylparaben, Butylparaben, Isobutylparaben, and Benzylparaben as used in cosmetic products International journal of toxicology, 2008Study
  3. PubChem: Methylparaben (CID 7456), record description PubChem (US National Library of Medicine)PubChem (US National Library of Medicine)
  4. "Parabenoia" Debunked, or "Who's Afraid of Parabens?" Sasseville D et al., Dermatitis : contact, atopic, occupational, drug, 2015Review
  5. Paraben Toxicology Fransway AF et al., Dermatitis : contact, atopic, occupational, drug, 2019Review
  6. Commission Regulation (EU) No 358/2014 amending Annexes II and V to Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products Publications Office of the European Union (EUR-Lex/Cellar), 2014EU law
  7. Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products, consolidated text of 18 May 2026 Publications Office of the European Union (EUR-Lex/Cellar), 2026EU law
  8. Prohibited & Restricted Ingredients in Cosmetics | FDA US Food and Drug Administration
  9. Amended Safety Assessment of Parabens as Used in Cosmetics International journal of toxicology, 2020US Cosmetic Ingredient Review expert panel

Checked against these sources on 4 November 2026. Spot a mistake? Tell us.