Hexylene glycol is a preservative and solvent that may be irritating to some skin types.
Contents
Uses
Hexylene Glycol is a solvent and viscosity agent used in many skin care products. It is used to thin out heavy compositions and create a thinner, more spreadable product.
Caution
Although the FDA has approved Hexylene Glycol and the CIR found it an acceptable solvent in skin care products, some studies have shown that it is an irritant. However, according to CosmeticsInfo.org, there was “no correlation between the degree of irritation and the concentration of the glycol present in the product. There were no reactions indicative of skin sensitization to these glycols in any skin sensitization assays and no suggestions of phototoxicity or photosensitization.” Furthermore, a study published in Contact Dermatitis researching the effects of Hexylene Glycol when used by people with eczema concluded that the presence of Hexylene Glycol did not cause a significant increase in irritation.
Interactions
None are recorded.
Other names
Butylene Glycol, Ethoxydiglycol and Dipropylene Glycol
Reference
Source: TruthinAging, https://www.truthinaging.com/ingredients/hexylene-glycol
CosmeticsInfo, http://www.cosmeticsinfo.org/ingredient/hexylene-glycol