Amyl salicylate: properties, uses, pros, cons, safety

Amyl Salicylate is an aromatic salicylate ester, derived from amyl alcohol and salicylic acid. It is used mainly as a fragrance ingredient in perfumery, cosmetics, detergency, and fragrance compositions. Its olfactory profile is generally floral, sweet, green, balsamic, herbaceous, and slightly fruity. In cosmetics, the CosIng sheet reports the functions skin conditioning and perfuming.

The main regulatory point is its inclusion in Annex III, entry 328, of the European Cosmetics Regulation, as a substance to be declared on the label when it exceeds 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products. The chemical name in the restriction entry is Pentyl-2-hydroxy-benzoate.

Description

Amyl Salicylate belongs to the family of odorant salicylates, namely esters of salicylic acid used mainly to build floral, balsamic, green, or sweet notes in fragrances. It is related to other salicylates used in perfumery, such as Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Salicylate, and Methyl Salicylate, but it should not be confused with them: each molecule has its own identity, use, and regulation.

From a formulation standpoint, its role is mainly sensory. It can contribute to product fragrance, fragrance roundness, and the persistence of floral or balsamic notes. The skin conditioning function indicated by CosIng should be interpreted as a supporting cosmetic function, not as a curative dermatological activity.

An important point is the distinction between Amyl Salicylate and Isoamyl Salicylate. The former, in the attached CosIng sheet, is linked to Pentyl-2-hydroxy-benzoate; Isoamyl Salicylate is instead a distinct isomer/ingredient, often with different regulatory and flavouring references. In practice, to avoid errors, CAS, EC, isomeric composition, and supplier documentation must always be checked.

Production process

Industrially, Amyl Salicylate is obtained by esterification of salicylic acid with amyl alcohol / pentanol, followed by purification. The reaction forms the salicylate ester, while the subsequent steps remove residual salicylic acid, unreacted alcohol, catalysts, solvents, and by-products.

After synthesis, the usual controls include purity, acid value, odor, color, refractive index, density, process residues, isomers, and stability. For grades intended for perfumery and cosmetics, SDS, certificate of analysis, allergen declaration, and IFRA certificate are also essential.

In some commercial contexts, the name “amyl salicylate” may not always be used uniformly, sometimes close to mixtures or isomers. For this reason, in the cosmetic dossier, the decisive point is not only the commercial name, but the complete identification of the purchased material.

Main compounds present

In the pure grade, the main compound is Amyl Salicylate / Pentyl 2-hydroxybenzoate. Commercial grades may contain small amounts of:

• residual salicylic acid;

• residual amyl alcohol / pentanol;

• isomers or related amyl salicylates;

• residual solvents;

• minor aromatic impurities;

• degradation or hydrolysis products.

The distinction between Amyl Salicylate, Isoamyl Salicylate, Pentyl Salicylate, and other salicylates must be handled carefully, especially when the material is intended for regulated products, complex fragrances, or formulas for sensitive skin.

Identification data and specifications

Indicative physicochemical properties

Food

In the food sector, Amyl Salicylate may appear as a substance related to the world of flavourings, but it has no nutritional value. The FDA lists it among food substances under the name AMYL SALICYLATE, CAS 2050-08-0, with synonyms such as Pentyl 2-hydroxybenzoate and Salicylic acid, pentyl ester.

Food assessment must be particularly cautious because sources distinguish between Amyl Salicylate and Isoamyl Salicylate: the latter is reported by FEMA with FEMA No. 2084 and JECFA No. 903, but has a different CAS number (87-20-7). For this reason, in a technical report, it is not correct to automatically transfer FEMA/JECFA numbers for isoamyl salicylate to the material identified as Amyl Salicylate CAS 2050-08-0.

From a nutritional standpoint, the judgment is straightforward: aromatic use, not health-related use. If present in a food, it should be assessed as an aromatic or flavouring-related substance, with clearly documented food grade, purity, dosage, and chemical identity.

Cosmetics

In cosmetics, Amyl Salicylate is used mainly as a perfuming ingredient and, according to CosIng, also as skin conditioning. It may be present in perfumes, creams, lotions, cleansers, soaps, shampoos, conditioners, deodorants, body products, hair products, and fragrance compositions where floral, green, sweet, balsamic, or herbaceous notes are desired.

The central regulatory point is Annex III, entry 328. Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 reports Amyl Salicylate / Pentyl-2-hydroxy-benzoate among substances to be indicated in the ingredient list when the concentration exceeds:

• 0.001% in leave-on products;

• 0.01% in rinse-off products.

This provision is not a ban, but a transparency obligation for sensitized consumers. The substance must therefore be managed as a fragrance allergen to be declared above threshold.

Pros

• It has a floral, sweet, green, and balsamic olfactory profile, useful in perfumery.

• It is suitable for building floral, herbaceous, cosmetic, and slightly fruity accords.

• It can contribute to fragrance persistence and roundness.

• It is effective at low concentrations as an odorant ingredient.

• CosIng reports the functions perfuming and skin conditioning.

• EU regulation is clear: above threshold, it must be declared on the label.

• In well-designed formulas it can provide a pleasant and functional sensory contribution.

Cons

• It is not a nutritional food ingredient: in food it has only a possible aromatic function.

• In cosmetics it is a fragrance allergen to be declared above threshold.

• It may be problematic for subjects sensitized to fragrances or odorant salicylates.

• As a salicylic ester, it should also be assessed within the broader framework of cosmetic salicylates.

• It is poorly soluble in water and requires adequate solubilization.

• It may be confused with Isoamyl Salicylate, so CAS and composition must be checked precisely.

• Quality depends on purity, isomers, residual salicylic acid, acid value, and stability.

Safety, regulatory aspects, and environment

From a cosmetic standpoint, Amyl Salicylate must be managed as a fragrance ingredient with allergological relevance. The European Cosmetics Regulation does not prohibit it, but requires its specific indication above the thresholds established in Annex III, entry 328.

SCCS documentation on fragrance allergens includes it among the established contact allergens in humans, with human evidence indicated in the SCCS table. This makes it important not to consider it simply a harmless fragrance note: in sensitized individuals, it may contribute to allergic contact reactions.

CIR, in its review of cosmetic salicylates, includes Amyl Salicylate among the salicylic acid esters added to the assessment and reports a general safety conclusion for the salicylates considered under the practices of use and concentration assessed, when formulated to be non-irritating. The same document reports cosmetic use data for Amyl Salicylate and use concentration values in some categories, confirming that the ingredient is used mainly at low concentrations in cosmetic products.

As a concentrated raw material, it may require caution for skin, eyes, and the environment, according to the supplier SDS. This does not automatically imply the same level of risk in the finished product, but it requires assessment of the complete formula, actual concentration, and product category.

For correct cosmetic use, it is advisable to request from the supplier:

• updated SDS;

• certificate of analysis;

• allergen declaration;

• IFRA certificate;

• data on purity and isomers;

• residual salicylic acid content;

• acid value;

• data on stability and storage;

• actual concentration in the fragrance;

• declaration of compliance with the EU Cosmetics Regulation;

• verification of the finished-product concentration against Annex III thresholds.

From an environmental standpoint, Amyl Salicylate is an odorant and lipophilic organic substance, normally used at low concentrations. Its real profile depends on raw material origin, production process, biodegradability, amount used, product category, and environmental fate. In rinse-off products, release into wastewater should be considered; in leave-on products, the main issue remains skin exposure and allergen labeling.

Conclusion

Amyl Salicylate is an ingredient of mainly olfactory interest, useful for floral, green, sweet, herbaceous, and balsamic notes. In cosmetics it mainly performs a perfuming function and may also be reported as skin conditioning, but it should not be considered a dermatological active.

Professional assessment must focus on three points: correct identification of the substance, distinction from Isoamyl Salicylate, and compliance with Annex III, entry 328. Above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products, it must be declared on the label as a fragrance allergen.

In a well-designed formula, with complete supplier documentation and controlled concentration, it can be a useful and functional ingredient. The points to control are purity, correct CAS, isomers, solubilization, SDS, COA, IFRA certificate, allergen declaration, concentration in the finished product, and compliance with Annex III of the European Cosmetics Regulation.

References_________________________________________________________________________

Johnson W Jr, Zhu J, Bergfeld WF, Belsito DV, Hill RA, Klaassen CD, Liebler DC, Marks JG Jr, Shank RC, Slaga TJ, Snyder PW, Fiume MM, Heldreth B. Amended Safety Assessment of Salicylic Acid and Salicylates as Used in Cosmetics. Int J Toxicol. 2025 Dec;44(4_suppl):5S-57S. doi: 10.1177/10915818251389456.

Abstract. The Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety (Panel) reviewed the safety of Salicylic Acid and 17 salicylates; 15 of these ingredients were previously reviewed by the Panel, and 3 are reviewed herein for the first time. Some of the reported functions in cosmetics for ingredients in this group are hair and skin conditioning agents, and, less frequently, preservatives and fragrance ingredients. Upon review of relevant new data, including frequency and concentration of use, and consideration of data from the previous CIR report, the Panel concluded that these ingredients are safe in cosmetics in the present practices of use and concentration described in the safety assessment when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing, which may be based on a quantitative risk assessment (QRA).

Bernardini I, Fabrello J, Vecchiato M, Ferraresso S, Babbucci M, Peruzza L, Rovere GD, Masiero L, Marin MG, Bargelloni L, Gambaro A, Patarnello T, Matozzo V, Milan M. Effects of environmental concentrations of the fragrance amyl salicylate on the mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis. Environ Pollut. 2022 Aug 15;307:119502. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119502.

Abstract. Amyl salicylate (AS) is a fragrance massively used as a personal care product and following the discharged in wastewaters may end up in the aquatic environment representing a potential threat for the ecosystem and living organisms. AS was recently detected in water of the Venice Lagoon, a vulnerable area continuously subjected to the income of anthropogenic chemicals. The lagoon is a relevant area for mollusc farming, including the Mediterranean mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) having an important economic and ecological role. Despite high levels of AS occurred in water of the Lagoon of Venice, no studies investigated the possible consequences of AS exposures on species inhabiting this ecosystem to date. For the first time, we applied a multidisciplinary approach to investigate the potential effects of the fragrance AS on Mediterranean mussels. To reach such a goal, bioaccumulation, cellular, biochemical, and molecular analyses (RNA-seq and microbiota characterization) were measured in mussels treated for 7 and 14 days with different AS Venice lagoon environmental levels (0.1 and 0.5 μg L-1). Despite chemical investigations suggested low AS bioaccumulation capability, cellular and molecular analyses highlighted the disruption of several key cellular processes after the prolonged exposures to the high AS concentration. Among them, potential immunotoxicity and changes in transcriptional regulation of pathways involved in energy metabolism, stress response, apoptosis and cell death regulations have been observed. Conversely, exposure to the low AS concentration demonstrated weak transcriptional changes and transient increased representation of opportunistic pathogens, as Arcobacter genus and Vibrio aestuarianus. Summarizing, this study provides the first overview on the effects of AS on one of the most widely farmed mollusk species. Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Singh, B., Sinha, A. K., Kumar, A., & Singh, A. K. (1998). Comparative study of the kinetics of base catalysed hydrolysis of iso-amyl salicylate in aquo-ethylene glycol, aquo-n-propyl alcohol and aquo-tertiary butyl alcohol. Asian Journal of Chemistry, 10, 446-452.

Abstract  Kinetic studies of the base catalysed hydrolysis of iso-amyl salicylate in aqueous ethylene glycol, aqueous n-propyl alcohol and aqueous tertiary butyl alcohol medium at various compositions starting from 10 to 40% (volume %) ethylene glycol, n-propyl alcohol and tertiary butyl alcohol respectively at temperatures ranging from 15 to 35 degrees C are reported. The specific rate constant values were found to decrease with increasing proportion of co-solvents at all the temperatures and the prediction of Parker is not supported. Both iso-composition activation energy E-C and isodi- electric activation energy E-D values increase with increases in proportion of the organic co-solvents. Variation in other thermodynamic parameters such as Delta S*,Delta H* and Delta G* are also evaluated and interpreted on the basis of solvation concept.