Is Ethylhexylglycerin Safe?
Though this ingredient has a “2” rating by the Environmental Working Group, there is a small risk of an ethylhexylglycerin allergy.[6] The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classifies it as a “low priority” chemical. It doesn’t pose a threat to human health or the environment.
The Environmental Working Group scores it low on common concerns like cancer, allergies and immunotoxicity, as well as developmental and reproductive toxicity. It is safe for use at home and should be kept in a cool, dry place. It is not flammable.
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Safe Dosage
Ethylhexylglycerin is generally considered safe in concentrations of up to 8% in products that you can rinse off like cosmetics, according to the Cosmetic Ingredient Review. Meanwhile, it is considered safe for up to 2% in leave-on products.
Since it serves as a supporting ingredient rather than a primary active ingredient, its dosage in household products is typically low.
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Safety on Human Health
There have been studies documenting the safety of ethylhexylglycerin on human health. It is found to be non-toxic, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing. This makes it a suitable ingredient for various skin types and allergies.
There are reports of ethylhexylglycerin as a contact allergen since 2002, but they are considered a rare occurrence. Still, there have been rare reports of this ingredient being a skin sensitizer.
It is also not found to be linked to harmful effects on the reproductive health or hormone disruption.Given extensive research placed on the ingredient which has found it to be well tolerated by the skin, it is often recommended by dermatologists.
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Safety on the Environment
Ethylhexylglycerin has a favorable safety profile for the environment. It is readily biodegradable, making it easy to naturally break down without causing long-term harm to our ecosystems.
It also poses minimal threat with low toxicity to aquatic life. It is also non-bioaccumulative, which demonstrates that it is environmentally friendly with the lack of harmful buildup in the food chain.
With regulatory approvals and extensive evaluation on the ingredient, ethylhexylglycerin has been proven to be safe for humans and the environment.
How Puracy Uses Ethylhexylglycerin
We use ethylhexylglycerin in Puracy products for three main reasons:
- preventing products from spoiling
- keeping products from separating
- softening skin
References
[1] Food and Drug Administration[2] Aerts, O., Verhulst, L., Goossens, A. Ethylhexylglycerin: a low-risk, but highly relevant, sensitizerin ‘hypo-allergenic’ cosmetics" Contact Dermatitis 74, 281-288[3] Cosmetics Info[4] Cosmetic Ingredient Review[5] Google Patents[6] Environmental Working Group