EWG Skin Deep® | What is PROPYLENE GLYCOL (original) (raw)
Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.
Data: Fair
Other Concerns
Use restrictions (low), Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (low_moderate), and Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (high)
SYNONYMS
● 15490-EP2314589A1
● 98469-EP2284163A2
● 98469-EP2284174A1
● 98469-EP2284162A2
● 55805-EP2308864A1
● 55805-EP2305033A1
● 55805-EP2298415A1
● 55805-EP2287158A1
● 15490-EP2316837A1
● 69996-EP2308479A2
This ingredient is not currently on EWG's Skin Deep Restricted or Unacceptable Lists.
Propylene glycol is a small organic alcohol commonly used as a skin conditioning agent. It has been associated with irritant and allergic contact dermatitis as well as contact urticaria in humans; these sensitization effects can be manifested at propylene glycol concentrations as low as 2%.
Common concerns
See how this product scores for common concerns.
- Cancer
- Allergies & Immunotoxicity
- Developmental and Reproductive Toxicity
- Use Restrictions
Ingredient concerns
- CONCERNS
- DATA SOURCES
| diaper cream | 6 products |
|---|---|
| styling gel/lotion | 391 products |
| conditioner | 786 products |
| liquid hand soap | 218 products |
| after shave | 56 products |
| facial moisturizer/treatment | 387 products |
| hand cream | 100 products |
| antiperspirant/deodorant | 461 products |
| antiperspirant/deodorant (men's) | 209 products |
| mouthwash | 224 products |
| anti-aging | 63 products |
| muscle/joint soreness | 13 products |
| fragrance for women | 121 products |
| body spray | 233 products |
| fragrance for men | 64 products |
| moisturizer | 393 products |
| facial cleanser | 283 products |
| styling mousse/foam | 124 products |
| detangler | 57 products |
| hair spray | 147 products |
| shampoo | 833 products |
| hair treatment/serum | 438 products |
| toners/astringents | 92 products |
| foot moisturizer | 51 products |
| mask | 459 products |
| around-eye cream | 84 products |
| eye makeup remover | 11 products |
| baby wipes | 38 products |
| toothpaste | 169 products |
| exfoliant/scrub | 180 products |
| serums & essences | 267 products |
| skin fading/lightener | 15 products |
| body wash/cleanser | 375 products |
| shaving cream (men's) | 15 products |
| hair styling aide | 592 products |
| CC cream | 31 products |
| Hair Styling Gel | 28 products |
| brow liner | 138 products |
| sunless tanning | 168 products |
| tanning oil | 6 products |
| foundation | 631 products |
| mascara | 424 products |
| concealer | 480 products |
| eye liner | 234 products |
| lip gloss | 82 products |
| lip balm | 268 products |
| lipstick | 61 products |
| after sun product | 41 products |
| makeup remover | 72 products |
| hair color and bleaching | 661 products |
| hair-loss treatment | 59 products |
| Putties, Puddings & Clays | 2 products |
| bronzer/highlighter | 51 products |
| bath oil/salts/soak | 45 products |
| shaving cream | 71 products |
| Preshave Preparations | 2 products |
| bubble bath | 25 products |
| nail treatment | 35 products |
| makeup primer | 120 products |
| depilatory | 9 products |
| hair relaxer | 32 products |
| bar soap | 235 products |
| body firming lotion | 93 products |
| hand sanitizer | 186 products |
| Other Hair Care Preparations | 4 products |
| baby toothpaste | 8 products |
| Bath and Body Wipes | 8 products |
| cuticle treatment | 5 products |
| polish remover | 60 products |
| tooth whitening | 36 products |
| setting powder/spray | 100 products |
| nail polish | 116 products |
| body powder | 3 products |
| eyelash glue | 94 products |
| body oil | 12 products |
| BB cream | 48 products |
| foot cleansing | 19 products |
| Oils & Serums | 9 products |
| blush | 42 products |
| recreational sunscreen | 125 products |
| daily use with SPF | 51 products |
| lip balm with SPF | 6 products |
| eye shadow | 140 products |
| baby sunscreen | 16 products |
| baby lotion | 16 products |
| baby soap | 8 products |
| baby shampoo | 8 products |
| foot odor control | 7 products |
| Moisturizing Socks | 2 products |
| baby bubble bath | 2 products |
| vapor rubs | 2 products |
| facial powder | 4 products |
| glitter | 24 products |
| lip plumper | 6 products |
| oil controller | 2 products |
| pore strips | 13 products |
| Under Eye Concealers | 7 products |
| nail glue | 3 products |
| other eye makeup | 12 products |
| baby oil | 7 products |
| beard care | 12 products |
| beard cleanser | 3 products |
| Eye Shadow Primers | 1 products |
| damaged skin treatment | 4 products |
| Exfoliants | 2 products |
| Facial Sun Care | 5 products |
| Beard Conditioners | 2 products |
| acne treatment | 6 products |
| depilatory (men's) | 2 products |
| Wipes | 4 products |
| lip liner | 8 products |
| Nail Art and Jewelry | 1 products |
| lubricant | 1 products |
| Face Wipes | 1 products |
| hair removal waxes | 1 products |
| Decollete and Neck Creams | 1 products |
| Basecoats and Undercoats | 1 products |
| other men's products | 1 products |
| Tanning Sprays | 1 products |
| CONCERN | REFERENCE |
|---|---|
| Limited evidence of skin and immune system toxicity or allergies | Compendium, containing abstracts, discussions, and conclusions of CIR cosmetic ingredient safety assessments(2006-01-01) |
| CONCERN | REFERENCE |
|---|---|
| Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food | US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) |
| CONCERN | REFERENCE |
|---|---|
| Prohibited for use in food | US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) |
| CONCERN | REFERENCE |
|---|---|
| Penetration enhancer | Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) |
| CONCERN | REFERENCE |
|---|---|
| Safety assessment was based on related chemical | Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) |
| CONCERN | REFERENCE |
|---|---|
| Industry or government recommendations for safe use: restrictions on concentration, impurities, product types, or manufacturing methods - Determined safe for use in cosmetics up to a specified concentration limit | Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) |
| CONCERN | REFERENCE |
|---|---|
| Determined safe for use in cosmetics, subject to concentration or use limitations - Safe for use in cosmetics with some qualifications | Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) |
| CONCERN | REFERENCE |
|---|---|
| Classified as expected to be toxic or harmful | Environment Canada |
| Classified as medium human health priority | Environment Canada |
| CONCERN | REFERENCE |
|---|---|
| Not suspected to be persistent | Environment Canada |
| Not suspected to be bioaccumulative | Environment Canada |
| CONCERN | REFERENCE |
|---|---|
| Not suspected to be an environmental toxin | Environment Canada |
| CONCERN | REFERENCE |
|---|---|
| Classified as skin irritant | US National Library of Medicine, |
- Compendium, containing abstracts, discussions, and conclusions of CIR cosmetic ingredient safety assessments(2006-01-01)
- US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR)
- Environment Canada
- US National Library of Medicine,
Understanding scores
Cosmetics and personal care products are not required to be tested for safety before being allowed on the market. The Skin Deep® scoring system was designed to help the public understand whether a product is safe to use or whether it contains ingredients of concern.
Every product and ingredient in Skin Deep gets a two-part score – one for hazard and one for data availability. The safest products score well by both measures, with a low hazard rating and a fair or better data availability rating.
Hazard score
The Skin Deep ingredient hazard score, from 1 to 10, reflects known and suspected hazards linked to the ingredients. The EWG VERIFIED® mark means a product meets EWG’s strictest criteria for transparency and health.
Data availability
The Skin Deep data availability rating reflects the number of scientific studies about the product or ingredient in the published scientific literature.
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