What it is
A glycol ether with a phenyl group, clear oily liquid with a mild rose odour.
What it does
Broad-spectrum preservative commonly paired with organic acids; the most widely adopted paraben alternative.
Why it’s a concern
Generally considered one of the safer preservatives, capped in the EU at 1%. FDA has warned against its use in nipple creams due to infant toxicity reports. Contact sensitisation is reported in a small percentage of users; low-level allergenicity is manageable relative to parabens and formaldehyde releasers.
Also known as
2-phenoxyethanolethylene glycol phenyl ether
CAS numbers
122-99-6
Commonly found in
lotionserumcosmetics
Safer alternatives
- sodium benzoate
- potassium sorbate
- leucidal liquid
Sources
- SCCS Opinion SCCS/1575/16
- FDA Consumer Advisory on Nipple Creams 2008