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HOW WE DETERMINE SCORES Learn more About EWG VERIFIED®

Data: Limited

Phenoxyethanol

  • This ingredient’s score is higher if used in products that are inhalable (e.g., sprays, powders) because of respiratory concerns.
  • This ingredient’s score is higher if used in products intended for use around mouth due to increased risk of ingestion and absorption.
  • This ingredient’s score is higher if used in products intended for use on lips due to increased risk of ingestion and absorption.
  • Products with the EWG VERIFIED mark have met use restrictions and warnings based on EWG review of company data.

IMAGE SOURCE: PubChem

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Other Concerns

Use restrictions (moderate), Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate), Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (high), and Occupational hazards (high)

SYNONYMS

● 2-HYDROXYETHYL PHENYL ETHER
● 2-PHENOXY- ETHANOL
● 2-PHENOXYETHANOL
● 2-PHENOXYETHYL ALCOHOL
● ETHANOL, 2-PHENOXY-
● ETHANOL, 2PHENOXY
● ETHYLENE GLYCOL MONOPHENYL ETHER
● PHENOXYETHANOL
● PHENOXYTOL

Restricted

Restricted: EWG VERIFIED products cannot contain this ingredient without adequate substantiation

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative used in cosmetics and personal care products.

Common concerns

See how this product scores for common concerns.

  • LOW
    Cancer
  • LOW
    Allergies & Immunotoxicity
  • LOW
    Developmental and Reproductive Toxicity
  • MODERATE
    Use Restrictions

Ingredient concerns

  • CONCERNS
  • DATA SOURCES

Products with this Ingredient

Expand content Collapse content
foundation1731 products
moisturizer1233 products
eye shadow1164 products
concealer1108 products
facial moisturizer/treatment1094 products
conditioner1056 products
lipstick1008 products
shampoo904 products
mask844 products
lip gloss724 products
serums & essences677 products
hair treatment/serum629 products
facial cleanser610 products
hair styling aide589 products
body wash/cleanser567 products
bronzer/highlighter538 products
brow liner534 products
eye liner509 products
blush482 products
mascara476 products
exfoliant/scrub443 products
daily use with SPF390 products
around-eye cream348 products
recreational sunscreen345 products
lip balm336 products
hand cream315 products
styling gel/lotion312 products
makeup primer259 products
hair color and bleaching249 products
toners/astringents232 products
liquid hand soap220 products
setting powder/spray192 products
sunless tanning146 products
makeup remover144 products
facial powder129 products
CC cream128 products
lip liner120 products
BB cream114 products
hair spray99 products
anti-aging93 products
shaving cream91 products
styling mousse/foam90 products
lip plumper85 products
detangler80 products
bubble bath76 products
baby lotion60 products
60 products
body firming lotion56 products
hand sanitizer55 products
after shave54 products
eyelash glue54 products
antiperspirant/deodorant53 products
glitter49 products
body spray47 products
baby wipes43 products
body oil40 products
foot moisturizer39 products
shaving cream (men's)38 products
bath oil/salts/soak37 products
baby sunscreen37 products
after sun product36 products
baby shampoo34 products
baby soap34 products
beard care31 products
beard cleanser26 products
bar soap23 products
skin fading/lightener19 products
muscle/joint soreness19 products
body cleansing wipes19 products
foot cleansing17 products
hair-loss treatment16 products
damaged skin treatment15 products
nail treatment14 products
fragrance for women13 products
eye makeup remover13 products
tanning oil13 products
facial cleansing wipes13 products
other eye makeup12 products
body powder12 products
makeup removing wipes12 products
nail polish11 products
diaper cream8 products
cuticle treatment8 products
body art8 products
pore strips8 products
foot odor control6 products
baby bubble bath6 products
antiperspirant/deodorant (men's)6 products
nail glue6 products
hair removal waxes4 products
hair relaxer4 products
polish remover4 products
tooth whitening3 products
lip balm with SPF3 products
beard oil3 products
oil controller2 products
depilatory2 products
baby oil2 products
vapor rubs2 products
other men's products1 products
hair perm1 products

Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs)

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Classified as irritantCPS&Q - Classification & Labelling

Occupational hazards

Expand content Collapse content
CONCERN REFERENCE
Allowed workplace exposures restricted to low dosesCPS&Q - Classification & Labelling

Use restrictions

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Restricted in cosmetics (recommendations or requirements) - use, concentration, or manufacturing restrictions - Japan - restricted for use in cosmetics (concentration limit)Japan's Standards for Cosmetics

Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)

Expand content Collapse content
CONCERN REFERENCE
Limited evidence of nervous toxicityOpen scientific literature
Classified as toxic or harmfulCPS&Q - Classification & Labelling
Classified as not expected to be potentially toxic or harmfulEnvironment Canada Domestic Substance List
Classified as a low human health priorityEnvironment Canada Domestic Substance List

Allergies/immunotoxicity

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Limited evidence of skin and immune system toxicity or allergiesOpen scientific literature

Ecotoxicology

Expand content Collapse content
CONCERN REFERENCE
Wildlife and environmental toxicityOpen scientific literature
Not suspected to be an environmental toxinEnvironment Canada Domestic Substance List

Data gaps

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Risk assessment method deficiencies and data gaps - Maximum reported "as used" concentration is basis of safety assessment by industry safety panel (Cosmetic Ingredient Review, CIR) - implicit safe concentration limit in productCosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments
279 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemicalNLM PubMed

Informational

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Industry or government recommendations for safe use: restrictions on concentration, impurities, product types, or manufacturing methods - anyCosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments

Persistence and bioaccumulation

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Not suspected to be persistentEnvironment Canada Domestic Substance List
Not suspected to be bioaccumulativeEnvironment Canada Domestic Substance List
  • CPS&Q (Consumer Products Safety & Quality) formely known as ECB (European Chemicals Bureau). 2008. Classification and Labelling: Chemicals: Annex VI of Directive 67/548/EEC through the 31st ATP.
  • Japan Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. 2006. Standards for Cosmetics. Evaluation and Licensing Division. Pharmaceutical and Food Safety Bureau.
  • Open scientific/peer reviewed literature
  • EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry.
  • CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review). 2006. CIR Compendium, containing abstracts, discussions, and conclusions of CIR cosmetic ingredient safety assessments. Washington DC.
  • NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2012. PubMed online scientific bibliography data. http://www.pubmed.gov.

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.

HOW WE DETERMINE SCORES

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.

Score legend
WEIGHT-OF-EVIDENCE APPROACH

A product’s hazard score is not an average of the ingredients’ hazard scores. It is calculated using a weight-of-evidence approach that factors in all of the hazards or health impacts associated with the ingredients.

Data availability

The Skin Deep data availability rating reflects the number of scientific studies about the product or ingredient in the published scientific literature.

NONE LIMITED FAIR GOOD ROBUST
Low Availability
Moderate Availability
High Availability
NONE

Ingredients have not been assessed.

LIMITED-FAIR

There is only a modest volume of research.

GOOD-ROBUST

Ingredients have been studied extensively.

Can’t find your product?

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