Ingredient

PROPYLENE GLYCOL

Name / description

Propylene Glycol; 1,2-Propanediol, 1,2-Dihydroxypropane

Function(s) of this ingredient in cosmetic products

HUMECTANT

Holds and retains moisture in cosmetic products

SKIN CONDITIONING

Maintains the skin in good condition

SOLVENT

Dissolves other substances

VISCOSITY CONTROLLING

Increases or decreases the viscosity of cosmetic products

Origin

synthetic plant/synthetic

Occurrence in cosmetics

Various cosmetic products to apply on skin and hair, tooth, mouth and lipcare products, sunscreens, deodorants

Occurrence in other products

Food additive (E 1520), wet wipes, home cleaning products, medical ointments, tablets, capsules, nose sprays, gargling solutions, technical cooling lubricants, de-icing agents, brake fluids

Background information on use in cosmetics

Propylene glycol is chemically speaking a divalent alcohol and a colourless, slightly oily, sweetly tasting and almost odourless liquid which can be easily dissolved in water. Alcohols such as propylene glycol are, in addition to water, the most important solvents for cosmetic preparations. Propylene glycol is used, like glycerine, eg in skin creams, facial toners, toothpastes and deodorants mainly as solvent, solubiliser and / or humectant. Alcohols are generally hydroxy derivatives of aliphatic and alicyclic saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons. The systematic names are derived from those of the parent hydrocarbons by adding the ending -ol. Depending on the number of OH groups included in the molecule, reference is made to monohydric, bivalent (diols) or trivalent alcohols (triols). Depending on the position of the OH group(s) in the molecule it is distinguished between primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols. Especially the following alcohols are used as ingredients in cosmetic products: Ethyl alcohol (ethanol) and isopropyl alcohol (isopropanol) as well as the polyvalent alcohols glycerine (glycerol), propylene glycol, butylene glycol, pentylene glycol and hexylene glycol.

Further information

For the clarification of a suspicion of a contact allergy this substance can be routinely tested in the epicutaneous test at the dermatologist.

Belongs to the following substance groups

Humectants

Ingredients for skincare

Solvents

Thickening agents / consistency regulators

Understanding your cosmetics

How are cosmetics kept safe in Europe?

Strict laws make sure that cosmetics and personal care products sold in the European Union are safe for people to use. Companies, national and European regulatory authorities share the responsibility of keeping cosmetic products safe.

What should I know about endocrine disruptors?

Some ingredients used in cosmetic products have been claimed to be ‘endocrine disruptors’ because they have the potential to mimic some of the properties of our hormones. Just because something has the potential to mimic a hormone does not mean it will disrupt our endocrine system. Many substances, including natural ones, mimic hormones but very few, and these are mostly potent medicines, have ever been shown to cause disruption of the endocrine system. The rigorous product safety assessments by qualified, scientific experts that companies are legally obliged to carry out cover all potential risks, including potential endocrine disruption.

Are cosmetics tested on animals? No!

In the European Union, testing cosmetics on animals has been fully banned since 2013. Over the last 30 years, long before a ban was in place, the cosmetics and personal care industry has invested in research and development to pioneer alternatives to animal testing tools to assess the safety of cosmetics ingredients and products.

What about allergens in cosmetics?

Many substances, natural or man-made, have the potential to cause an allergic reaction. An allergic reaction occurs when a person’s immune system reacts to substances that are harmless to most people. A substance that causes an allergic reaction is called an allergen. Cosmetics and personal care products may contain ingredients that can be allergenic for some people. This does not mean that the product is not safe for others to use.

Database

Cosmetics matter to people and play an important role in our everyday life. On average European consumers use over seven different cosmetics daily. You too? It’s only natural that you want to know more about the ingredients in those products.

In the digital world we live in, there’s a deluge of information on cosmetics. However, it can be difficult to know which sources are reliable. COSMILE Europe is a European cosmetic ingredient database that offers reliable, verified and scientifically supported information on almost 30,000 ingredients used in cosmetics.

This database will help you understand why certain ingredients are in your cosmetic products; which properties they have and much more. The database is currently available in fourteen languages with more to come.

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