Propylene Glycol
Sat, June 27, 2009 at 12:00 PM Today's Chemical:
Propylene Glycol
EWG Risk Score:
5
What is it?
A skin conditioning agent, solvent, humectant.
Why is it a risk?
Propylene Glycol, among other things, is a penetration enhancer, meaning it's a carrier for other chemicals, bringing them into your skin and directly to your bloodstream. It's also a suspected immune system toxin, neurotoxin, reproductive toxin, respiratory toxin, and skin toxin.
What type of products is it found in?
Over 7,800 products! Lotions, shower gels, shampoos, conditioners, cosmetics, deodorants, personal lubricants, sunscreens, styling gels, and hair colors.
A few companies that use this chemical:
- Tom's of Maine
- Kiss My Face
- Earth Science
- Blue Lizard
- Willow Lake
- Aveeno
- Jason
- Rogaine
Steph's Opinion:
For some reason, a lot of the "natural" brands think that it's okay to use propylene glycol. Despite the fact that it's anti-freeze! Not only is it anti-freeze, but it's used at the airport as de-icing fluid! After my appearance on Studio 5 a few months ago, a pilot wrote in to the station Here's what he said:
Yesterday, during your segment with Bubble and Bee, I had to shake my head when you talked about how some shower body washes contain the chemical propylene glycol. Your guest stated that it is a "penetration enhancer" and that it will go directly to your blood stream. I'm and airline pilot, based out of SLC, and the de-icing fluid that all airlines use to remove snow, frost and ice from their aircraft is mix of heated propylene glycol and water. For us,
the propylene glycol is listed as a hazardous material. If you get it on your skin and don't wash it off, it will irritate the skin, and you will get ill when it is absorbed.
I get so many customers who say that certain commercial deodorants that are supposedly natural cause underarm rashes. I tell them it's most likely the propylene glycol breaking down their skin cells and causing irritation.
Sources: http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/ingredient.php?ingred06=705315
http://www.scorecard.org/chemical-profiles/summary.tcl?edf_substance_id=57-55-6#hazards
Reader Comments (7)
Would like to add that it is also in food and some medicines - I have found it listed in bottled tartar sauce, some children's snack foods "fruit rolls" and in liquid allergy medicines for children. So scary.
I am really grateful to have this website to refer to. Having a good explanation to refer to with all these different chemicals is useful. I also love the explanations you give with them. It certainly makes it easier to understand! It's really hard to find products that don't have these nasty chemicals in the. How deceiving they are when they list them as natural and yet it's ok if they are toxic.
Can you talk a bit more about Propylene Glycol. I've never heard something really bad about it, and I find silly when somebody relates a chemical with industrial things like anti-freeze, maybe that stuff might be bad for us but also, maybe not because that certain chemical. I even read of many dermatologists and estheticians that recomend products with propylene glycol. I know that is not a good thing, but I still can't understand much about it, why is a bad thing?
I just recently spotted this ingredient in dog food and have seen it in store bakery items.
They put that fill-the-blank in psychotropic medicines! Cure? Pfft!
In need of help! My son has some pretty bad food allergies & needs to take a daily allergy med. At the pharmacy I am comparing different ones all of which have chemicals that I would not use in cosmetics, but I need to choose 1. How can I find out which chemicals are worse? For instance, 1 med has propylene glycol & sodium benzoate whereas the other has propylparaben & red dyes. How can I find out which is safer? Thank you so much!
I would go with the propylene glycol + sodium benzoate over the propylparaben and red dyes. Drugs are such a hard call because they are loaded with stuff like this, but sometimes, they're necessary. It's all about benefits vs. the risks. It sounds like the allergy medication is something that your son needs, so, there may be some necessary "evils" that are associated with it, especially if the allergies are severe or life-threatening.