What is Phenoxyethanol in Skin Care? Is it Safe?

What is Phenoxyethanol in Skin Care? Is it Safe?

Phenoxyethanol in skin care is used as a preservative. Although the kind of phenoxyethanol used in skin care is synthetic (known as “nature identical,” it mimics the natural version exactly), phenoxyethanol is actually found in nature, specifically in green tea and chicory. It makes sure yeast, mold, and bacteria don’t develop and ultimately, end up on your skin!

Technically, phenoxyethanol forms via a reaction between phenol (EU) and ethylene oxide (EU). Aside from acting as a preservative, it’s even been used in vaccines. Chances are, many of the products you use include it as it’s one of the most popular skin care preservatives in use. You’ll find phenoxyethanol in everything from eye creams to moisturizers, so it’s a good idea to understand what it does and doesn’t do.

Is phenoxyethanol safe?

Yes, phenoxyethanol is safe. According to the Cosmetic Ingredient Review, when used in concentrations of 1% or less, phenoxyethanol in skin care is safe. This is also the same standard the European Commission on Health and Food Safety uses as well.

As phenoxyethanol has become popular as a cosmetics preservative in the last few years, there’s been some debate as to its safety. Although there are some opinions that differ (we’ll get to that in a sec), the general consensus is that phenoxyethanol is safe in skin care, as long as it’s used in concentrations of 1% or less. Many of the studies that have been published in which phenoxyethanol is found to be an irritant, are doing so in reference to much larger concentrations.That said, what is agreed, is that phenoxyethanol should not be ingested by babies or children under three years old, so make sure not to apply any skin care products with phenoxyethanol on areas of the body where a baby might suckle or even lick the skin.The antiseptics used in the present study were chlorhexidine diacetate (Fluka, Buchs, Switzerland) and benzalkonium chloride (Sigma-Aldrich, L’Ile d’Abeau, France). Standard MICs were determined by broth microdilution in three unrelated experiments. Briefly, 50?μl of bacterial suspension containing 2?×?106?CFU?ml?1 in Tryptone Soya (TS) medium (Sigma, Saint Quentin Fallavier, France) were added to 50?μl of serial twofold dilutions of the disinfectants in TS in microtiter trays. The plates were incubated for 24?h at 37°C and observed for turbidity. The MIC was defined as the lowest concentration of antiseptic, inhibiting visible bacterial growth

Silver ion antimicrobial technology is a silver-based active ingredient that can be incorporated into polymers, coatings, textiles and more to offer continuous product protection against bacterial growth.

Chlorphenesin

Chlorphenesin is a synthetic compound that belongs to the class of organic compounds called organohalogens. Chlorphenesin is a phenol ether (3-(4-chlorophenoxy)-1,2-propanediol), derived from chlorophenol containing a covalently bound chlorine atom. Description of this cosmetic preservative by Expertox.