Health Concerns of the Ingredient:
Overall Hazard
Developmental &
reproductive toxicity
Allergies & immunotoxicity
About CETEARETH-20: Ceteareth-20 is the polyethylene glycol ether of cetearyl alcohol; may contain potentially toxic impurities such as 1,4-dioxane.
Function(s): Surfactant - Cleansing Agent; Surfactant - Solubilizing Agent
Synoym(s): PEG-20 CETOSTEARYL ALCOHOL; PEG-20 CETYL/STEARYL ETHER; POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL 1000 CETYL/STEARYL ETHER; POLYOXYETHYLENE (20) CETYL/STEARYL ETHER
Use restrictions
| Concern |
Reference |
|---|
| Violation of industry recommendations - Restricted in cosmetics; use, concentration, or manufacturing restrictions - Not safe for use on injured or damaged skin (only for products for use on damaged skin) | Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments |
| Determined safe for use in cosmetics, subject to concentration or use limitations - Safe for use in cosmetics with some qualifications | Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments |
Ecotoxicology
| Concern |
Reference |
|---|
| Not suspected to be an environmental toxin | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Enhanced skin absorption
| Concern |
Reference |
|---|
| Penetration enhancer | Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments |
Data gaps
| Concern |
Reference |
|---|
| 2 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemical see search results -> | NLM PubMed |
Persistence and bioaccumulation
| Concern |
Reference |
|---|
| Not suspected to be persistent | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
| Not suspected to be bioaccumulative | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
| Concern |
Reference |
|---|
| Classified as not expected to be potentially toxic or harmful | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Data Sources
| CIR |
| CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review). 2006. CIR Compendium, containing abstracts, discussions, and conclusions of CIR cosmetic ingredient safety assessments. Washington DC. |
| EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry. |
| NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2012. PubMed online scientific bibliography data. http://www.pubmed.gov. |
Products Containing the Ingredient
About the ratings
EWG provides information on personal care product ingredients from the published scientific literature, to supplement incomplete data available from companies and the government. The ratings below indicate the relative level of concern posed by exposure to the ingredients in this product - not the product itself - compared to other product formulations. The ratings reflect potential health hazards but do not account for the level of exposure or individual susceptibility, factors which determine actual health risks, if any.
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