Potassium Methylparaben
molecular structure · PubChem
AKA: 26112-07-2, Potassium salt, Benzoic acid, Methyl ester, 4-Hydroxybenzoic acid, METHYL P-HYDROXYBENZOATE POTASSIUM SALT, METHYL 4-HYDROXYBENZOATE POTASSIUM SALT
Synthetic
Preservative
Not Clean
Potassium methyl 4-oxidobenzoate
Formula
C8H7KO3
Mol. Weight
190.24
CAS #
26112-07-2
Form
Powder
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
The potassium salt form of methylparaben, a synthetic preservative developed in the early 20th century as a replacement for mercury-based and other toxic preservatives in cosmetics.
EWG
4
CIR
Safe as used
Pregnancy
Caution
Restricted By
CIR Safety Findings
medical-approval
all-shades-safe
Phototoxicity Concern
Concentration Guide
8.0%
0%11%
Reg. Limit
EU regulatory limit: 8.0%. 0,4% (as acid) for single ester 0,8% (as acid) for mixtures of esters Source: EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009, Annex V (Preservatives), Entry 12. Dermal absorption: 0.1%. Source: CIR Safety Assessment (CIR Seq 746).
Regulatory Agencies
Skin Types
●all-skin-types
Best For
General
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe
Caution
The paper trail
🔬Peer-reviewed1 paper →
⚖️Regulatory1 listing →
🛡️Safety-assessed0 reviews
Counts, not a verdict. A listing isn't a study. The trail, you decide.
Verified Jun 2026
Data: PubChem · CosIng · EWG · CIR