Ingredient Index

Is Butylparaben banned in Europe?

Restricted in EU

No: butylparaben is restricted, not banned, in the EU. It shares the 0.14% cap set in 2014 and the ban from leave-on nappy-area products for children under three. The US sets no concentration limit.

CAS: 94-26-8 Also seen as: Butyl 4-hydroxybenzoate, Nipabutyl, Butyl paraben

What the EU does

Restricted, not banned. Butylparaben is the longest straight-chain paraben the EU still permits, and it is governed by exactly the same 2014 measures as propylparaben. Commission Regulation (EU) No 358/2014 capped propylparaben and butylparaben at 0.14% combined, down from 0.4%, as a precautionary step.

And Commission Regulation (EU) No 1004/2014 banned both from leave-on products meant for the nappy area of children under three. The straight-chain butylparaben kept its (now limited) place on Annex V, while the branched version, isobutylparaben, was banned outright the same year. That split, straight-chain capped, branched banned, is the detail almost every "parabens are banned" article misses.

Citation Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Annex V; Commission Regulation (EU) No 358/2014 (0.14% cap); Commission Regulation (EU) No 1004/2014 (nappy-area leave-on ban, under-3s)

What the US does

Permitted, with no specific limit. The FDA allows butylparaben in cosmetics and has not set a cap or a baby-product carve-out. So, as with propylparaben, a US product can legally use more butylparaben than an EU-compliant one and can use it in products the EU would not.

The transatlantic gap here is one of degree, not kind. Both permit butylparaben. The EU restricts the amount and the use case on precautionary grounds; the US leaves both to the manufacturer.

Citation FDA: parabens in cosmetics (no specific limit)

Products that commonly contain it

Butylparaben preserves water-containing products and usually appears near the end of an ingredient list. Look for it in:

Lotions, creams, and body washes
Hair products and styling creams
Foundations and other color cosmetics
Some imported baby products (restricted in the EU)

What to look for on a label

On a label, watch for:

"Butylparaben" or "Butyl 4-hydroxybenzoate"
Distinguish it from "Isobutylparaben", which the EU bans outright
EU-compliant products keep butyl- plus propylparaben at 0.14% or less
Avoid it in leave-on diaper-area products for very young children, per EU rules

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Frequently asked questions

Is butylparaben banned in Europe?

No. It is restricted, not banned. Butylparaben (with propylparaben) is capped at 0.14% under Commission Regulation (EU) No 358/2014 and barred from leave-on nappy-area products for under-threes under Regulation (EU) No 1004/2014.

What is the difference between butylparaben and isobutylparaben?

Butylparaben is straight-chain and still permitted in the EU with a cap. Isobutylparaben is branched and was banned outright in 2014 because there was not enough data to confirm its safety.

Is butylparaben allowed in the United States?

Yes. The FDA permits it in cosmetics with no specific concentration limit.

Should I avoid butylparaben?

Regulators permit it within limits. If you prefer to be cautious, the EU view is that the amount and the use matter: it is capped and kept out of baby diaper-area leave-on products.

Related ingredients

Primary sources

Last reviewed June 30, 2026 · How we assign statuses