Ingredient · dataset v56
Phenylpropanol and fungal acne
No known trigger
Why it's not a known trigger
Short aromatic alcohol (benzene ring plus a three-carbon chain) acting as preservative and solvent; no linear C11-C24 chain and no ester or triglyceride bond, so it is not a lipid substrate.
Despite the alcohol name it works as a preservative, not a fatty alcohol; its chain is far too short and ring-shaped to feed Malassezia.
Evidence strength
Judged neutral — no trigger evidence
Function
Preservative
Also listed as
3-Phenyl-1-propanol, Hydrocinnamyl Alcohol
Related preservative
- Anisic Acid — No known trigger
- Benzisothiazolinone — No known trigger
- Benzyl Alcohol — No known trigger
- Butylated Hydroxytoluene — No known trigger
- Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate — No known trigger
- Butylparaben — No known trigger
- Caprylhydroxamic Acid — No known trigger
- Chlorhexidine Digluconate — No known trigger
Sources
- Structure-based: aromatic C9 alcohol, no fatty chain, ester or triglyceride
- EU CosIng database — search the INCI name
Last reviewed: 2026-10-13 (dataset v56).
Questions
Does Phenylpropanol trigger fungal acne?
No known trigger: Short aromatic alcohol (benzene ring plus a three-carbon chain) acting as preservative and solvent; no linear C11-C24 chain and no ester or triglyceride bond, so it is not a lipid substrate.
Does Phenylpropanol feed Malassezia?
No known link: Phenylpropanol is judged with no known trigger. One screened ingredient is not a product verdict — when in doubt, ask a dermatologist.
Is this medical advice?
No. We screen ingredient lists; we never diagnose, treat, or certify products. When in doubt, ask a dermatologist.
Check a full list containing Phenylpropanol →
Not medical advice: we screen ingredient lists for potential triggers — we never diagnose, treat, or certify products. Dataset v56.