Phenoxyethanol preservative confirmed as safe at 1%

In 2012 concerns were raised regarding phenoxyethanol’s use as a preservative and recommendations were made by a French agency to lower use levels to 0.4% for children less than 3 years of age and that products containing the ingredient should not be used in the nappy area. The following year Cosmetics Europe submitted a dossier defending the use of phenoxyethanol at 1% in cosmetic products. The document released by SCCS in March this year is a response to this dialogue, which represents the views of the independent scientists who are members of the committees but is not indicative of the views of the European Commission.

Use of phenoxyethanol in cosmetics

Phenoxyethanol (also known as 2-phenoxyethanol, ethyene glycol monophenyl ether, phenoxytol, 1-hydroxy-2phenoxyethane, (2-hydroxyethoxy) benzene) is a preservative regulated in Annex V/29 of the Cosmetics Regulation (EC) n. 1223/2009 and used in a wide range of cosmetic products from moisturisers to eye shadow and shaving creams. It is a broad spectrum preservative which has been shown to be highly effective against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, yeast and moulds. As well as offering preservative activity, the ingredient also stabilises perfumes and soaps.