Raspberry Ketone

Raspberry ketone (4-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butanone) is primarily used as a fragrance/flavor component and can also appear in “slimming” or “natural” claims products, typically at low percentages but often alongside other sensitizing fragrance materials. As an aromatic ketone/phenolic compound, it carries a meaningful risk of irritation and allergic contact dermatitis in reactive or eczematous skin, and fragrance-type ingredients are overrepresented in patch-test reactions. Given the severe-sensitivity population and the unpredictability of fragrance allergen cross-reactivity, I score it as a notable risk requiring careful avoidance or patch testing. Safety Notes: In mainstream consumer skincare, raspberry ketone is most often used as a low-level fragrance/marketing botanical-active at trace levels around 0.001–0.05%, especially in leave-on body lotions and anti-cellulite/firming products where it is typically solubilized in fragrance or glycols. Higher-strength OTC specialty ‘slimming/firming’ body serums and creams have been marketed around ~0.5–2% raspberry ketone; above ~2% is uncommon in cosmetics due to strong odor, solubility/compatibility limits, and increased irritation/sensitization risk. This range reflects observed consumer-available leave-on products; rinse-off products generally sit toward the lower end because of brief contact time and cost/odor constraints.