Phenoxyethanol is a widely used ingredient in skin care products. Although naturally found in chicory and green tea, most commonly manufactured phenoxyethanol comes from synthetic sources.
Preservatives often get a bad rap, but food, skincare, and make-up would quickly spoil without them. Luckily, most preservatives used in cosmetics are safe and extensively tested before being included on store shelves.
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol is an easy-to-tolerate preservative in cosmetic products like skin creams and facial cleansers, making it an excellent environmental-friendly preservative. It doesn’t react with open air or sunlight/water exposure and readily degrades when left to biodegrade, making it non-bioaccumulative and safe for the environment.
Glycol ethers, such as butanol, are an oily liquid chemical group belonging to the glycol ether family with a delicate rose scent that’s often used as preservatives in leave-on products like lotions and moisturizers, facial masks, soaps, and shampoos as well as rinse-off ones like shampoos and soaps. Furthermore, some bath products and fragrances also include butanol.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative in water-based skin care products to maintain an ideal pH balance, similar to what the skin needs, typically between 4 and 6.5. Maintaining this acidity balance prevents microbial growth inside the products and on skin surfaces.
Without proper preservatives, skin care products could rot quickly when exposed to bacteria or microbes, rendering them useless within days. A good quality product should utilize broad-spectrum preservatives; phenoxyethanol is one such broad-spectrum preservative option.
During the paraben-free craze, it was common to see products labeled as such because their manufacturer had substituted phenoxyethanol as a safer option – making this choice increasingly common among cosmetic companies pursuing EcoCert and COSMOS certifications.
Phenoxyethanol is safe when used at its permitted rate and is an ideal ingredient in cosmetic products because it is not an immediate sensitizer. Furthermore, decades of safety assessments have evaluated this relatively harmless chemical. Though some may worry that phenoxyethanol might be cancer-causing or cause other serious health concerns, no conclusive links exist between cancer and its presence and other serious medical problems.
However, suppose you have susceptible skin or are allergic to other ingredients in current skin care products. Before using, it’s wise to test any new developments on yourself for adverse reactions and allergies. If phenoxyethanol proves problematic for you, we advise having a professional patch test completed by a dermatologist or doctor to identify it accurately and provide treatment solutions.
Stabilizer
Phenoxyethanol is an ingredient commonly found in cosmetic products, mainly water-based skincare products, to prevent microbial growth. Furthermore, its solvent properties allow it to dissolve other components, such as essential oils in skin care products. Phenoxyethanol is generally safe when applied at its maximum use rate of 1%. It has not been shown to cause skin irritants or allergic reactions in sensitive skin, even those who experience responses in some instances. Phenoxyethanol uses basic chemicals such as benzene and ethylene oxide that may come from petroleum-derived sources or plant-based feedstocks and does not pose a reproductive or cancer risk. However, this ingredient can be a skin irritant and cause contact dermatitis in some individuals, especially those suffering from severe skin conditions like psoriasis or eczema. Furthermore, its composition could become contaminated with 1,4-dioxane, which has been identified as a potential skin irritant; however, this occurrence is improbable at the allowable usage rates for cosmetic products.
Phenoxyethanol is biodegradable and less harmful than other preservatives, making it more environmentally friendly than parabens – which have been found to mimic estrogen and increase the risk of breast cancer – and safer than formaldehyde, another popular preservative.
When purchasing skincare products, look for natural alternatives to Phenoxyethanol, such as organic formulations. Oil blends do not require preservation, while water-based skin care products like cleansers and lotions require reliable preservatives such as sorbic acid, sodium chloride, and potassium sorbate, used by natural-minded brands as natural preservation measures.
Avoiding synthetic preservatives is wise advice for anyone, particularly those with eczema or contact allergies. They disrupt the skin microbiome, leading to dryness and irritation, and can trigger contact dermatitis and other inflammatory skin conditions. To keep healthy skin, synthetic preservatives should be avoided in favor of products made with more natural options like plant-based preservatives.
Skin Irritation
Though not the most well-known preservative, you may have come across it more frequently in skincare products lately due to paraben-free beauty offerings becoming more and more popular, prompting many brands to opt for safer preservative alternatives like phenoxyethanol as an alternative preservative option.
Phenoxyethanol has some drawbacks when used at higher concentrations, but its permitted usage rate of less than 1% for skin care use should make it safe. Phenoxyethanol does not cause primary or cumulative skin irritant reactions and doesn’t lead to sensitization (contact dermatitis). Furthermore, there have been no reports of carcinogenic, genotoxic, or phototoxic properties, and it doesn’t have any systemic side effects either.
However, if you have susceptible skin, products containing it may be best avoided as any chemical could irritate or trigger reactions in some people. It is, therefore, essential to perform a patch test before applying any new products to your face or neck, particularly if you have dehydrated, delicate skin.
Phenoxyethanol does have some potential for skin irritation, though much less likely than other common preservatives like methylchloroisothiazolinone and butylene glycol – two popular alternatives to parabens – used instead of parabens. These compounds might cause more skin irritants because they are more petroleum-derived; therefore, they contain additional additives or perfumes than phenoxyethanol.
Butylene glycol may increase your risk of contact dermatitis as it releases 1,4-dioxane into your skin; though this chemical may not be particularly toxic, it should still be avoided as much as possible, and natural cleaning products should be preferred over synthetic ones.
1. 4-dioxane is the compound most likely to raise the alarm in cosmetic products containing phenoxyethanol; however, such levels of exposure would likely never reach ten parts per million, representing a significantly reduced level than can typically be found in most cosmetics products.
If you’re still worried, look for natural cleansers certified by EcoCert or COSMOS that prioritize sustainability and ethical sourcing practices so you can rest easy knowing that they provide products that benefit your body and the planet.
Skin Sensitizer
Phenoxyethanol has recently generated some negative online discourse and appears on several so-called “bad ingredients” lists created by skincare bloggers and influencers or posted by cosmetics retailers focusing on ingredient quality. However, it should be noted that it does not appear on any nationally banned ingredients list worldwide and is given a safe rating by CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review). Indeed, it can be found in many leave-on skincare products!
Phenoxyethanol has proven incredibly helpful in protecting against microbial contamination and benefits the skin. Studies have proven its non-irritating nature at concentrations up to 1%. Any adverse side effects are usually associated with full-strength exposures; cosmetic products use much lower concentrations, which have not caused any negative side effects.
Phenoxyethanol consumers should also know that it does not contain 1,4-dioxane, which is often a byproduct of production but can be removed via fractionation. Fractionation does not pose significant health risks. A recent safety assessment by SCCS (Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety) confirmed that at its maximum allowable use rate of 1%, cosmetic products, phenoxyethanol poses no risks to human health.
Phenoxyethanol is generally safe when applied at levels up to 1%; however, some individuals may still experience adverse reactions when exposed. Therefore, those with sensitive skin should avoid products containing this preservative or perform a patch test before purchasing them; Waldorf recommends applying small amounts inside your elbow and waiting three days for your response.
When purchasing green beauty products, most brands conduct extensive microbiologic tests on their products to ensure the chosen preservative effectively prevents microbial growth – providing a long-term guarantee of shelf life and maximum protection from spoilage.
