Butyloctyl Salicylate: properties, uses, pros, cons, safety

Butyloctyl Salicylate is a synthetic ester derived from salicylic acid and butyloctanol. This compound is valued for its beneficial properties, making it popular in various applications, particularly in the fields of cosmetics and personal care.

Chemical Composition and Structure

The chemical composition of Butyloctyl Salicylate includes a mixture of esters formed by the reaction of salicylic acid with butyloctanol. The structure of these esters imparts unique characteristics to the compound, such as enhanced flexibility and spreadability.

Physical Properties

Butyloctyl Salicylate typically appears as a clear to slightly yellow liquid with a smooth, oily texture. It is insoluble in water but soluble in oils and organic solvents.

Production Process

The production of Butyloctyl Salicylate involves several steps:

• Sourcing of Raw Materials: salicylic acid and butyloctanol are selected and prepared for the reaction.
• Esterification Reaction: salicylic acid is reacted with butyloctanol in the presence of a catalyst to form butyloctyl esters.
• Purification: the reaction product is purified to remove any impurities and unreacted components.
• Formulation and Packaging: the final product is formulated to achieve the desired consistency and packaged under controlled conditions to ensure stability and purity.

Applications

Cosmetics: in the cosmetics industry, Butyloctyl Salicylate is valued for its emollient, moisturizing, and film-forming properties. It is commonly included in formulations of sunscreens, lotions, creams, and makeup products.

Personal Care: Butyloctyl Salicylate is used in various personal care products such as deodorants, hair styling products, and after-sun products for its ability to provide texture, stability, and a protective barrier on the skin.

Pharmaceuticals: it can also be used in certain pharmaceutical formulations to enhance the delivery of active ingredients and improve the texture and application of topical products.

Environmental and Safety Considerations

Environmental Impact: the production of Butyloctyl Salicylate generally has a moderate environmental impact. Sustainable sourcing of raw materials and the use of environmentally friendly processes can help minimize the overall impact.

Safety: Butyloctyl Salicylate is considered safe for topical use in the concentrations typically employed in consumer products. However, it is essential to ensure that the compound is free from contaminants and that it complies with regulatory standards. Allergic reactions are rare but cannot be excluded.

What it is used for and where

Cosmetics - INCI Functions

• Hair conditioning agent. A significant number of ingredients with specific and targeted purposes may co-exist in hair shampoo formulations: cleansers, conditioners, thickeners, matting agents, sequestering agents, fragrances, preservatives, special additives. However, the indispensable ingredients are the cleansers and conditioners as they are necessary and sufficient for hair cleansing and manageability. The others act as commercial and non-essential auxiliaries such as: appearance, fragrance, colouring, etc. Hair conditioning agents have the task of increasing shine, manageability and volume, and reducing static electricity, especially after treatments such as colouring, ironing, waving, drying and brushing. They are, in practice, dispersants that may contain cationic surfactants, thickeners, emollients, polymers. The typology of hair conditioning agents includes: intensive conditioners, instant conditioners, thickening conditioners, drying conditioners. They can perform their task generally accompanied by other different ingredients.
• Skin conditioning agent. It is the mainstay of topical skin treatment as it has the function of restoring, increasing or improving skin tolerance to external factors, including melanocyte tolerance. The most important function of the conditioning agent is to prevent skin dehydration, but the subject is rather complex and involves emollients and humectants that can be added in the formulation.
• Solvent. It is the substance for dissolving or dispersing surfactants, oils, dyes, flavourings, bactericidal preservatives in solution.In fact, it dissolves other components present in a cosmetic formulation. Solvents are generally liquid (aqueous and non-aqueous).

CAS    190085-41-7