Phenoxyethanol

Q: What should you pair phenoxyethanol with?

Ethylhexylglycerin is its most frequent partner. The full preservation system of a formula depends on its water, its pH and its raw materials: it is defined with the formulator and verified with a preservation test.

Phenoxyethanol is a broad-spectrum preservative (bacteria, yeasts) that only weakly inhibits the skin's resident flora4. European regulation limits it to 1.0% (Annex V, entry 29)2. According to a 2019 review, the SCCS opinion judges it safe for all consumers, children included, up to this limit4. It is often paired with ethylhexylglycerin6.

Mohamed El HjoujiFounder and CEO · Updated November 3, 2026 · Reading time 9 min

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Phenoxyethanol at a glance

Entry from our cosmetic ingredient glossary. Regulatory data from the European Commission's CosIng database1 and Regulation (EC) 1223/20092, safety according to the SCCS opinion3. Copy the identifiers in one click for your files.

INCI name: PHENOXYETHANOLNot to be confused with PHENOXYETHYL PCA, a different ingredient (humectant) with its own INCI name1
Other names: 2-Phenoxyethanol"Phenoxyethanol" in Annex V of the regulation2, 2-Phenoxyethanol in CosIng1
CAS number: 122-99-6
EC number: 204-589-7
Formula: C₈H₁₀O₂Aromatic ether alcohol1
CosIng functions: Antimicrobial, preservative"Antimicrobial" and "Preservative" in the European nomenclature1
EU status: Preservative allowed, limited to 1.0%Annex V, entry 29: 1.0% in the ready-for-use preparation, with no other condition of use1 2
Allergen to declare: NoAbsent from the list of fragrance allergens in Regulation 2023/154511. Like any ingredient, it appears in the INCI list on the label
Safety: Judged safe up to 1% by the SCCSSCCS opinion referenced in CosIng1 3; conclusion reported by a 2019 review: safe for all consumers, children of all ages included, at 1% at most4

What the research says

Each result shows the protocol and the level of evidence. The higher the level, the better the result carries over to a finished formula.

Clinical trialReview or consensusLaboratory

PreservationFormulation

Broad spectrum, little effect on skin flora

Review

2019 literature reviewPhenoxyethanol as a preservative

Phenoxyethanol acts on Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria as well as yeasts, and only weakly inhibits the skin's resident flora. It has been used in cosmetic products for decades4.

Ethylhexylglycerin boosts its action

Laboratory

Escherichia coli in the labEthylhexylglycerin 0.075% + phenoxyethanol 0.675%

This mix kills more than 5 log of bacteria in 30 minutes and makes cell contents leak out. Adding ethylhexylglycerin to phenoxyethanol at a 1:9 ratio has an effect on the membrane and bacterial survival comparable to doubling the phenoxyethanol6. A lab result on one strain, which does not replace the preservation test of a formula6.

Ethylhexylglycerin alone does not cover the full spectrum

Laboratory

42 strains of Acinetobacter, Burkholderia cepacia and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia13 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 10 of Pluralibacter gergoviae

All 42 strains from the first three groups were fully inhibited. By contrast, the 13 P. aeruginosa strains grew in the presence of ethylhexylglycerin, as did 6 of 10 P. gergoviae strains9. That is the reason for the pairing: the molecule boosts a preservative, it does not replace it.

The leading classic preservative in products for sensitive skin

Review

Labels of baby and sensitive skin cosmeticsChinese market, chromatography assays

Phenoxyethanol is the most frequent traditional preservative, and ethylhexylglycerin the most frequent alternative antimicrobial ingredient. All levels are below regulatory limits. In challenge tests, preservation could be insufficient whatever the composition of the system10.

Safety and toleranceOpinions and reviews

Safe up to 1% for all consumers

Expert assessment

SCCS opinion, reported by a 2019 review

The SCCS considers phenoxyethanol safe for all consumers, children of all ages included, when used as a preservative at 1% at most4. Effects observed in animals occurred at exposures about 200 times higher than those of consumers4.

Effects in animals at high doses, a calculated safety margin

Modeling

Pharmacokinetic model, rat and humanAdults and infantsIndustry funding

Liver, kidneys and destruction of red blood cells (hemolysis) are affected from 400 mg/kg/day in animal studies lasting several months. With very cautious assumptions on product composition and use, modeled exposures of adults and infants stay far below the no-effect dose, and safety margins exceed the uncertainty factor used5.

A rare sensitizer

Review

2019 literature review

Despite its very widespread use, phenoxyethanol is a rare sensitizer. The review ranks it among the best-tolerated preservatives4. Cases of contact allergy remain possible.

Ethylhexylglycerin: rare, but documented

Patch tests

15,560 people patch-tested with ethylhexylglycerin 5%13 Belgian cases, 1990-2015

Positive tests concern 39 people out of 15,560 (0.25%), a frequency close to that of phenoxyethanol, benzyl alcohol and parabens. Reactions were often linked to a cream or lotion8. The Belgian team found leave-on products, including face creams labeled "hypoallergenic" or "preservative-free"7.

This page summarizes published literature on a cosmetic ingredient. It does not describe the effect of a finished product, which depends on its formula, and it is not medical advice. Phenoxyethanol is a functional ingredient: it protects the formula and has no "care" effect. The studies below therefore cover preservation and safety, and several are funded or co-signed by industry, as the source list indicates.

Concentrations used in studies

No trial cited looks for a use level: the limit is legal. The regulation sets 1.0% at most in the finished product (Annex V, entry 29)2. In the lab, 0.675% combined with 0.075% ethylhexylglycerin was enough to kill E. coli6. The level in a formula is set with the formulator, who validates it with a preservation test.

0.675%With 0.075% ethylhexylglycerin, E. coli trial6

1.0%Legal limit in the finished product2

0%12%

Which products can use phenoxyethanol?

No formula in our white label catalog features phenoxyethanol yet. Our formulation lab can add it to a custom formula or to a catalog formula. Its common uses:

Face

Common preservative in water-based creams, serums, lotions and cleansers.

Body

Common preservative in water-based lotions, creams and shower gels.

Hair

Common preservative in water-based shampoos, conditioners and masks.

Phenoxyethanol and ethylhexylglycerin: two different roles

The pairing is common on labels, but the two ingredients do not play the same role.

	Phenoxyethanol	Ethylhexylglycerin
CosIng function	Antimicrobial, preservative1	Deodorant, skin conditioning12
EU status	Annex V, entry 29: 1.0% at most2	No restriction: absent from the annexes in CosIng12
Role in the pairing	Main preservative, active on bacteria and yeasts4	Boosts phenoxyethanol6; alone, lets P. aeruginosa grow9
Contact allergy	Rare sensitizer4	0.25% of tests positive8, cases described in "hypoallergenic" products7

Frequently asked questions about phenoxyethanol

What is phenoxyethanol?

It is an aromatic ether alcohol (CAS 122-99-6), declared as PHENOXYETHANOL on the label. In the CosIng database, its functions are antimicrobial and preservative1. It protects water-based formulas against bacteria and yeasts4.

Is phenoxyethanol dangerous?

At the permitted concentration, expert opinions do not judge it dangerous: according to a 2019 review, the SCCS considers it safe for all consumers, children of all ages included, up to 1%4. In animals, effects on the liver, kidneys and red blood cells appear from 400 mg/kg/day5, exposures about 200 times higher than those of consumers4. Contact allergy is rare but possible4. It is therefore neither a risk-free ingredient nor a proven danger at the permitted dose: dose and formula matter.

What is the maximum concentration of phenoxyethanol?

1.0% in the ready-for-use preparation, according to Annex V of Regulation (EC) 1223/2009, entry 29, with no other condition2.

Why is phenoxyethanol often paired with ethylhexylglycerin?

In the lab, ethylhexylglycerin damages the bacterial membrane and boosts phenoxyethanol: a 1:9 ratio acts like doubling the phenoxyethanol6. It is not enough alone, because P. aeruginosa resists ethylhexylglycerin9. Its cases of contact allergy are rare but documented7 8.

Can you use it in a baby product?

The SCCS judges it safe for all consumers, children of all ages included, up to 1%4, and a 2015 model calculates satisfactory safety margins for infants5. Choosing the preservation system of a baby product remains a formulation decision, validated by the safety assessment of the finished product.

Can you do without it?

According to a 2024 study, multifunctional ingredients can replace or reduce classic preservatives, but challenge tests showed preservation that was sometimes insufficient, and their own safety remains to be studied10. Waterless formulas limit the need for water-based preservatives, at the cost of other formulation constraints.

What should you pair phenoxyethanol with?

Ethylhexylglycerin is its most frequent partner6 10. The full preservation system of a formula depends on its water, its pH and its raw materials: it is defined with the formulator and verified with a preservation test.

Can you manufacture a properly preserved product for my brand?

Yes. Our ISO 22716 certified lab develops catalog formulas you can customize or a custom formula, with a preservation system chosen with you in compliance with Annex V. Samples are free.

Sources

Peer-reviewed studies and official regulatory sources, checked on November 3, 2026.

European Commission. CosIng, entry PHENOXYETHANOL (CAS 122-99-6, EC 204-589-7). ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing
Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on cosmetic products (consolidated text of May 1, 2025). eur-lex.europa.eu
Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS). Opinion on phenoxyethanol (2016), opinion referenced in CosIng. ec.europa.eu (SCCS)
Dréno B, Zuberbier T, Gelmetti C, Gontijo G, Marinovich M. Safety review of phenoxyethanol when used as a preservative in cosmetics. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2019;33 Suppl 7:15-24. doi:10.1111/jdv.15944
Troutman JA, Rick DL, Stuard SB, Fisher J, Bartels MJ. Development of a physiologically-based pharmacokinetic model of 2-phenoxyethanol and its metabolite phenoxyacetic acid in rats and humans to address toxicokinetic uncertainty in risk assessment. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol. 2015;73(2):530-543. doi:10.1016/j.yrtph.2015.07.012Procter & Gamble, Dow Chemical
Langsrud S, Steinhauer K, Lüthje S, Weber K, Goroncy-Bermes P, Holck AL. Ethylhexylglycerin impairs membrane integrity and enhances the lethal effect of phenoxyethanol. PLoS One. 2016;11(10):e0165228. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0165228Schülke & Mayr (co-authors)
Aerts O, Verhulst L, Goossens A. Ethylhexylglycerin: a low-risk, but highly relevant, sensitizer in 'hypo-allergenic' cosmetics. Contact Dermatitis. 2016;74(5):281-288. doi:10.1111/cod.12546
Warshaw EM, Buonomo M, Maibach HI, et al. Patch testing to ethylhexylglycerin: the North American Contact Dermatitis Group experience, 2013-2018. Dermatitis. 2022;33(1):36-41. doi:10.1097/DER.0000000000000709
Youenou B, Chauviat A, Ngari C, Poulet V, Nazaret S. In vitro study to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of various multifunctional cosmetic ingredients and chlorphenesin on bacterial species at risk in the cosmetic industry. J Appl Microbiol. 2022;132(2):933-948. doi:10.1111/jam.15245Laboratoires Clarins (co-authors)
Chen T, Chang H. Deciphering trends in replacing preservatives in cosmetics intended for infants and sensitive population. Sci Rep. 2024;14:19053. doi:10.1038/s41598-024-69624-9Shanghai Jahwa United (co-author)
Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 of 26 July 2023 as regards labelling of fragrance allergens in cosmetic products. eur-lex.europa.eu
European Commission. CosIng, entry ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN (CAS 70445-33-9, EC 408-080-2). ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing

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Phenoxyethanol at a glance

What the research says

PreservationFormulation

Broad spectrum, little effect on skin flora

Ethylhexylglycerin boosts its action

Ethylhexylglycerin alone does not cover the full spectrum

The leading classic preservative in products for sensitive skin

Safety and toleranceOpinions and reviews

Safe up to 1% for all consumers

Effects in animals at high doses, a calculated safety margin

A rare sensitizer

Ethylhexylglycerin: rare, but documented

Concentrations used in studies

Which products can use phenoxyethanol?

Face

Body

Hair

Phenoxyethanol and ethylhexylglycerin: two different roles

Frequently asked questions about phenoxyethanol

Further reading

Sources

Tell us about your project