Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.
EWG Home EWG’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning EWG’s Food Scores Healthy Living App Open menu

EWG's Skin Deep®
Find products and ingredients Learn how Skin Deep® works Meet our experts Discover EWG VERIFIED®
GET UPDATES DONATE
Score legend
HOW WE DETERMINE SCORES Learn more About EWG VERIFIED®

Data: Fair

Propylene Glycol

IMAGE SOURCE: PubChem

SEARCH PRODUCTS

Other Concerns

Use restrictions (low), Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (low_moderate), and Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (high)

SYNONYMS

● 1,2-PROPANEDIOL, SAJ FIRST GRADE, >=99.0%
● 1,2-PROPANEDIOL, P.A., ACS REAGENT, 99.5%
● D00078
● 15490-EP2311839A1
● 15490-EP2305683A1
● C00583
● SOYBEAN OIL,POLYMER WITH BENZOIC ACID,PENTAERYTHRITOL,PHTHALIC ANHYDRIDE AND PROPYLENE GLYCOL
● 1,2-PROPANEDIOL 100 MICROG/ML IN ACETONITRILE
● 15490-EP2305669A1
● 1,2-PROPANEDIOL, TESTED ACCORDING TO PH.EUR.

This ingredient is not currently on EWG's Skin Deep Restricted or Unacceptable Lists.

Propylene glycol is a small organic alcohol commonly used as a skin conditioning agent. It has been associated with irritant and allergic contact dermatitis as well as contact urticaria in humans; these sensitization effects can be manifested at propylene glycol concentrations as low as 2%.

Common concerns

See how this product scores for common concerns.

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

Ingredient concerns

  • CONCERNS
  • DATA SOURCES

Products with this Ingredient

Expand content Collapse content
diaper cream6 products
styling gel/lotion409 products
conditioner828 products
liquid hand soap219 products
after shave57 products
facial moisturizer/treatment402 products
hand cream107 products
antiperspirant/deodorant499 products
antiperspirant/deodorant (men's)212 products
mouthwash224 products
anti-aging66 products
muscle/joint soreness13 products
fragrance for women134 products
body spray247 products
fragrance for men64 products
moisturizer407 products
facial cleanser294 products
styling mousse/foam133 products
detangler56 products
hair spray158 products
shampoo872 products
hair treatment/serum458 products
toners/astringents96 products
foot moisturizer52 products
mask477 products
around-eye cream84 products
eye makeup remover11 products
baby wipes39 products
toothpaste168 products
exfoliant/scrub189 products
serums & essences274 products
skin fading/lightener16 products
body wash/cleanser393 products
shaving cream (men's)15 products
hair styling aid625 products
CC cream31 products
Hair Styling Gel32 products
brow liner159 products
sunless tanning185 products
tanning oil5 products
foundation777 products
mascara467 products
concealer515 products
eye liner244 products
lip gloss85 products
lip balm273 products
lipstick63 products
after sun product42 products
makeup remover78 products
hair color and bleaching688 products
hair-loss treatment64 products
Putties, Puddings & Clays2 products
bronzer/highlighter64 products
bath oil/salts/soak66 products
shaving cream74 products
Preshave Preparations2 products
bubble bath27 products
nail treatment36 products
makeup primer129 products
depilatory9 products
hair relaxer33 products
bar soap236 products
body firming lotion113 products
hand sanitizer191 products
Other Hair Care Preparations6 products
baby toothpaste8 products
Bath and Body Wipes7 products
cuticle treatment5 products
polish remover62 products
tooth whitening39 products
setting powder/spray106 products
nail polish117 products
body powder3 products
eyelash glue96 products
body oil12 products
BB cream46 products
foot cleansing20 products
Oils & Serums11 products
blush48 products
recreational sunscreen94 products
daily use with SPF43 products
eye shadow145 products
baby sunscreen15 products
baby lotion16 products
baby soap8 products
baby shampoo8 products
foot odor control7 products
Moisturizing Socks2 products
baby bubble bath2 products
vapor rubs2 products
facial powder7 products
glitter26 products
lip plumper6 products
lip balm with SPF8 products
oil controller1 products
pore strips15 products
Under Eye Concealers7 products
nail glue3 products
other eye makeup12 products
baby oil9 products
beard care12 products
beard cleanser3 products
Eye Shadow Primers1 products
damaged skin treatment4 products
Wipes11 products
Exfoliants6 products
Facial Sun Care4 products
Beard Conditioners2 products
acne treatment6 products
depilatory (men's)2 products
lip liner8 products
Nail Art and Jewelry1 products
lubricant1 products
Face Wipes1 products
hair removal waxes1 products
Decollete and Neck Creams1 products
Basecoats and Undercoats1 products
other men's products1 products
Tanning Sprays1 products
Lip Stain1 products
Facial Cleansing Water1 products
body art1 products

Allergies/immunotoxicity

Expand content Collapse content
CONCERN REFERENCE
Limited evidence of skin and immune system toxicity or allergiesCompendium, containing abstracts, discussions, and conclusions of CIR cosmetic ingredient safety assessments(2006-01-01)

Multiple, additive exposure sources

Expand content Collapse content
CONCERN REFERENCE
Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in foodUS. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Miscellaneous

Expand content Collapse content
CONCERN REFERENCE
Prohibited for use in foodUS. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Enhanced skin absorption

Expand content Collapse content
CONCERN REFERENCE
Penetration enhancerCosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR)

Data gaps

Expand content Collapse content
CONCERN REFERENCE
Safety assessment was based on related chemicalCosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR)

Informational

Expand content Collapse content
CONCERN REFERENCE
Industry or government recommendations for safe use: restrictions on concentration, impurities, product types, or manufacturing methods - Determined safe for use in cosmetics up to a specified concentration limitCosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR)

Use restrictions

Expand content Collapse content
CONCERN REFERENCE
Determined safe for use in cosmetics, subject to concentration or use limitations - Safe for use in cosmetics with some qualificationsCosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR)

Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)

Expand content Collapse content
CONCERN REFERENCE
Classified as expected to be toxic or harmfulEnvironment Canada
Classified as medium human health priorityEnvironment Canada

Persistence and bioaccumulation

Expand content Collapse content
CONCERN REFERENCE
Not suspected to be persistentEnvironment Canada
Not suspected to be bioaccumulativeEnvironment Canada

Ecotoxicology

Expand content Collapse content
CONCERN REFERENCE
Not suspected to be an environmental toxinEnvironment Canada

Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs)

Expand content Collapse content
CONCERN REFERENCE
Classified as skin irritantUS. National Library of Medicine,
  • Compendium, containing abstracts, discussions, and conclusions of CIR cosmetic ingredient safety assessments(2006-01-01)
  • US. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
  • Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR)
  • Environment Canada
  • US. National Library of Medicine,

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?

Enter the ingredients in EWG’s Build Your Own Report tool to get an approximate score for that product.

BUILD YOUR OWN REPORT

News & updates

Big Market for Black Cosmetics, but Less-Hazardous Choices Limited
RESEARCH
Big Market for Black Cosmetics, but Less-Hazardous Choices Limited
K-Beauty Trends: Serums, Essences and EWG’s Best Bets
RESEARCH
K-Beauty Trends: Serums, Essences and EWG’s Best Bets
FDA Asks Women To Protect Themselves From Products The Agency Refused To Ban
NEWS RELEASE
FDA Asks Women To Protect Themselves From Products The Agency Refused To Ban
Study Highlights Importance of Cosmetics Ingredient Safety Tests
NEWS RELEASE
Study Highlights Importance of Cosmetics Ingredient Safety Tests
READ ALL ARTICLES
Skindeep Healthy Living App

EWG research
on the go

Find personal care, cleaning, and food products on the EWG Healthy Living app.

DOWNLOAD THE APP