The ingredient, explained

Bht

Bht has published research relevant to cosmetic safety assessment.

AntioxidantMasking

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Ingredient guide

What it is and what it does

2‚6-Di-tert-butyl-p-cresol

About this ingredient: EU CosIng ingredient registry (via Open Beauty Facts taxonomy) ↗

Antioxidant: Limits oxidation, including deterioration of formulation ingredients. This label alone does not show a clinical antioxidant effect in skin.
Masking: Reduces or conceals the formula's underlying odour or taste.

Function definitions: European Commission ingredient function definitions (SCCNFP/0299/00, pages 16 to 20) ↗

Registry functions describe possible formulation roles, not results for a finished product. A dictionary entry is not an approval or a safety assessment.

A closer look

What the research shows

Safety assessment

The assessment distinguishes high oral-dose animal toxicity from low cosmetic dermal exposure and reviews irritation and sensitization findings.

What this does not tell us

Conclusion was conditioned on low concentrations used at the time. Some concentrated tests and patient reports were positive, so this is not a claim that allergy or irritation cannot occur.

Sources for this summary. PubMed 12396675 ↗

Research review checked Oct 1, 2026

Selective exact-identity review of 0 supplied local candidates and the targeted primary-source search recorded below. Bounded review, not a systematic search.