The actuator for an aerosol dispenser is provided with an actuator body which has a skirt, a finger pad, an outlet conduit having a portion (132a) which protrudes from the skirt towards the outside, and a cap (20) that can be moved between an open position in which the finger pad is accessible to a user and a closed position in which the finger pad is inaccessible to a user. The cap (20) is fixed to the skirt by a hinge (21) so that it can pivot around the hinge between the open position and the closed position, and provided with a slot (24) which straddles the protruding portion (132a) of the outlet conduit when the cap is in the closed position or close to the closed position.