MEA-Benzoate
molecular structure · PubChem
AKA: 4337-66-0, Ethanol, Benzoate (salt), Benzoic acid, Compound with 2-aminoethanol (1:1), Benzoate (1:1), Monoethanolamine benzoate
Synthetic
Preservative
Not Clean
Benzoic acid, compound with 2-aminoethanol (1:1)
Formula
C9H13NO3
Mol. Weight
183.20
CAS #
4337-66-0
Form
Liquid
Functions
Preservative
Keeps your product from growing bacteria, mold, or yeast. Without these, that jar of cream becomes a petri dish in about a week.
Preserves Formula
Prevents microbial growth
Traditional Use
A modern salt compound created by combining monoethanolamine with benzoic acid in the 20th century. Used in cosmetics as a preservative and pH buffer with no historical precedent prior to synthetic organic chemistry.
EWG
4
CIR
Safe as used
Pregnancy
Yes
CIR Safety Findings
Not Phototoxic
medical-approval
all-shades-safe
Concentration Guide
0.5%
0%1%
Reg. Limit
EU regulatory limit: 0.5%. Source: EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009, Annex V (Preservatives), Entry 1a.
Regulatory Agencies
Skin Types
●all-skin-types
Best For
General
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe
Yes
The paper trail
🔬Peer-reviewednone on file
⚖️Regulatory1 listing →
🛡️Safety-assessed1 review →
Counts, not a verdict. A listing isn't a study. The trail, you decide.
Verified Jun 2026
Data: PubChem · CosIng · EWG · CIR