Phenoxyethanol

📋 Quick facts

Description: Phenoxyethanol — preservative.

All Functions: preservative

Quick Facts:

• Category: preservative
• Also Known As: fenoxietanol
• Comedogenic Rating: 0/5

Proven Benefits At A Glance:

• Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that kills a wide range of bacteria and yeasts
• It has weak activity against your skin’s natural bacteria, which is actually a good thing
• European safety regulators consider it safe for all ages at concentrations up to 1% in cosmetics
• It’s a rare allergen and ranks among the best-tolerated preservatives in skincare
• Your body breaks it down and excretes it quickly, mostly through urine

⚗️ Chemical Overview

Ethylene glycol phenyl ether is a colorless liquid with a pleasant odor. Density 1.02 g / cm3. An irritant. 2-phenoxyethanol is an aromatic ether that is phenol substituted on oxygen by a 2-hydroxyethyl group. It has a role as an antiinfective agent and a central nervous system depressant. It is a primary alcohol, a glycol ether and an aromatic ether. It is functionally related to a phenol. Phenoxyethanol is a colorless liquid with a pleasant odor. It is a glycol ether used as a perfume fixative, insect repellent, antiseptic, solvent, preservative, and also as an anesthetic in fish aquaculture. Phenoxyethanol is an ether alcohol with aromatic properties. It is both naturally found and manufactured synthetically. Demonstrating antimicrobial ability, phenoxyethanol acts as an effective preservative in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and lubricants. Phenoxyethanol (EU), or PE, is the most commonly used globally-approved preservative in personal care formulations. It is very easy to use in various types of formulations and is chemically stable. Phenoxyethanol is a colorless, clear, oily liquid with a faint aromatic odor at room temperature and a low water solubility and evaporation rate. It is produced by reacting phenol (EU) and ethylene oxide (EU) at a high temperature and pressure. This substance occurs naturally in green tea (EU). According to the European Union Cosmetics Regulation (EC) n.1223/2009, phenoxyethanol is authorized as a preservative in cosmetic formulations at a maximum concentration of 1.0%. Phenoxyethanol has been classified as an antimicrobial and preservative by Health Canada. It has also been used in vaccines and shown to inactivate bacteria, and several types of yeast.

Source(s): ChEBI, DrugBank, CAMEO Chemicals, via PubChem

📊 Comedogenicity

0/5

🛡️ Safety rating

Safety tier is a starting heuristic from regulatory status and comedogenic rating, not a dermatological verdict — see our Terms for the full disclaimer. Research confidence reflects how many real cited studies back this ingredient, not the strength of their findings.

🌍 Regulatory Status