Is phenoxyethanol safe? What it does, the 1% EU limit, and where it's used
Where phenoxyethanol is allowed
United States
PermittedFDA does not approve cosmetic ingredients (other than color additives) before sale, and phenoxyethanol is not among the ingredients FDA's regulations prohibit or restrict. Companies remain legally responsible for safety, and the 2022 MoCRA law requires them to keep records substantiating it. [1, 2]
Canada
PermittedPhenoxyethanol is not on Health Canada's Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist of prohibited and restricted ingredients (page last modified August 2025). Health Canada cautions that absence from the Hotlist is not by itself a statement that an ingredient is safe, and manufacturers cannot sell cosmetics containing an ingredient that may cause injury under normal use. [3, 4]
European Union
Permitted with conditionsAllowed as a preservative at up to 1.0% in the finished product (Annex V, entry 29 of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009), with no other conditions in the consolidated text current at May 2026. The limit was reviewed in 2016 after France's medicines agency suggested a lower cap for under-3s, and the SCCS concluded that 1.0% is safe. [5, 6]
What is phenoxyethanol?
Phenoxyethanol, also called 2-phenoxyethanol, is an oily, slightly viscous, colourless liquid with a faint smell. Its other names include ethylene glycol monophenyl ether and phenoxytol.
The EU committee's report notes it is also used as a fragrance ingredient and in household cleaners, and has been reported in some fruits and plants.
Why it's used, and where you'll find it
Health Canada says cosmetics are often kept in warm, damp bathrooms, which can be an ideal place for microorganisms to grow, and that most cosmetics therefore contain preservatives to keep harmful bacteria, mould and yeast out. A 2019 dermatology review describes phenoxyethanol as effective against various bacteria and yeasts, with only a weak effect on the skin's own microbes, and notes decades of use.
What the research and regulators say
What the EU safety committee concluded
In October 2016 the SCCS said it considers phenoxyethanol safe as a preservative at a maximum of 1.0%, based on the information supplied to it. It added that a safety margin of about 50 for children also covers that age group, who may be exposed to more than adults. The committee stressed that its opinion looked only at cosmetics and did not add in exposure from other sources. [6]
Babies and nappy-area products
Children were the reason for the review: France's ANSM had recommended 0.4% for under-3s and no use in products for the nappy area. The SCCS's exposure calculations for infants included leave-on products and wipes used on the nappy area, and it still concluded that 1.0% is safe. The EU's consolidated entry in Annex V carries no age or nappy-area condition. [5, 6]
Skin reactions
Contact allergy to phenoxyethanol has been documented but, according to the SCCS, is rare, with a very low risk of becoming sensitised. A 2019 dermatology review called it a rare sensitiser and one of the best-tolerated cosmetic preservatives. In the studies the SCCS reviewed, the undiluted liquid irritated the eyes of test animals. [6, 7]
High-dose animal studies
In animal studies, phenoxyethanol caused blood-cell and kidney effects only at doses far above cosmetic exposure; the 2019 review puts the gap at around 200-fold. The SCCS reported no genotoxic hazard, and no sign of carcinogenic activity in two long-term rat and mouse studies, which it had only as summary reports. [6, 7]
Who might choose to avoid it
Anyone with a confirmed allergic or irritant reaction to phenoxyethanol (rare, according to the SCCS) has a clear reason to check labels. The regulators and reviews we checked did not single out any other group at permitted levels.
How to spot it on a label
Look for 'Phenoxyethanol', its standard ingredient-list name; its chemical registry number is CAS 122-99-6. In the EU, ingredients present at less than 1% may be listed in any order after the main ingredients, and since phenoxyethanol is capped at 1.0% it often appears in that lower part of the list.
Check what's in your own productsScan a barcode or a label photo and Label X-Ray flags phenoxyethanol and everything else in plain English, with your allergies checked automatically.
Frequently asked questions
Is phenoxyethanol safe?
The EU's SCCS concluded in 2016 that phenoxyethanol is safe as a preservative at up to 1.0%, with children's higher exposure taken into account, though for cosmetic exposure only. In the US and Canada it is not prohibited or restricted in cosmetics, but we did not find a comparable safety conclusion from either regulator.
Is phenoxyethanol banned in Europe?
No. It is allowed as a preservative in EU cosmetics at up to 1.0% (Annex V, entry 29 of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009). The EU's safety committee reviewed that limit in 2016 and concluded it is safe.
Is phenoxyethanol safe for skin?
Most people tolerate it well, according to the sources we read. The SCCS says contact allergy is documented but rare, and a 2019 dermatology review called it one of the best-tolerated cosmetic preservatives.
Is phenoxyethanol safe for babies?
The SCCS looked at this directly. Its infant exposure calculations included leave-on products and wipes used on the nappy area, and it concluded 1.0% is safe, with a safety margin of about 50 for children. France's medicines agency had proposed 0.4% for under-3s, but EU rules still list 1.0% with no age condition.
Does phenoxyethanol cause cancer?
The SCCS reported no genotoxic hazard in its tests and no evidence of carcinogenic activity in the long-term rat and mouse studies it reviewed. Those are animal and laboratory findings rather than human studies.
Is phenoxyethanol safe during pregnancy?
We did not find a regulator statement singling out phenoxyethanol for pregnancy. The SCCS opinion covers general cosmetic use and reviewed animal reproduction and development studies. FDA says anyone who is pregnant and has concerns about a product should talk to their health care provider.
Related ingredients
Sources
- U.S. FDA — Prohibited & Restricted Ingredients in Cosmetics (accessed 2026-09-19)
- U.S. Congress (via GovInfo) — Public Law 117-328, Division FF, Title III: Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022 (section 608, Safety Substantiation) (accessed 2026-09-19)
- Health Canada — Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist: Prohibited and Restricted Ingredients (accessed 2026-09-19)
- Health Canada — Safety of Cosmetic Ingredients (accessed 2026-09-19)
- EUR-Lex (European Union) — Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products, consolidated text of 1 May 2026 (Annex V, entry 29) (accessed 2026-09-19)
- European Commission, Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) — Opinion on Phenoxyethanol, SCCS/1575/16 (final version of 6 October 2016) (accessed 2026-09-19)
- PubMed (J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol) — Safety review of phenoxyethanol when used as a preservative in cosmetics (accessed 2026-09-19)
- U.S. FDA — Cosmetics & Pregnancy (accessed 2026-09-19)
- Health Canada — Cosmetic advertising, labelling and ingredients (accessed 2026-09-19)
This page summarizes what regulators and published research say, as of the review date above. Rules and evidence change; check the linked sources for the latest. It is general information, not medical advice — talk to a doctor or pharmacist about your own health.