Solvents and Methods for Dissolving Benzoyl Peroxide

Benzoyl peroxide is generally not soluble in water and has limited solubility in some organic solvents. In cosmetic formulations, benzoyl peroxide is often used in a suspended or micronized form rather than being fully dissolved.

Some solvents that may offer limited solubility or help in dispersing benzoyl peroxide include:

• Certain esters (e.g., ethyl acetate, butyl acetate)
• Some glycols (e.g., propylene glycol, butylene glycol), although solubility is still low.

Due to its poor solubility, the typical method for incorporating benzoyl peroxide into formulations is by dispersing it evenly in the base formula, often after micronizing the powder to a very fine particle size to prevent settling and improve efficacy.