Propylene Glycol
The question

Is Propylene Glycol safe in makeup?

CautionMakeup

Widely used humectant and solvent. At cosmetic concentrations it is generally safe, but is a known skin sensitizer in some people — particularly with leave-on products.

What the research flags

  • Contact dermatitis in sensitive individuals (patch-test relevant)
  • At high concentrations can irritate skin and mucous membranes
  • GRAS (FDA) as food additive at normal levels
  • Industrial-grade forms used in antifreeze — cosmetic grade is different

Other makeup ingredients on file

Sources & references

  1. [1]
    DatabaseIngredient database — 705335-PROPYLENE_GLYCOL
  2. [2]
    Peer-reviewedPubMed / NCBI — pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov · ref 26080998
  3. [3]
    DatabaseIngredient database — propylene_glycol_final_report_2018.pdf

Research disclaimer: Ratings reflect peer-reviewed research and regulatory assessments available at the time of publication, not the dose or formulation of any specific makeup product. This is not medical advice.