Propylene Glycol

Propylene Glycol is a cosmetic ingredient used as a humectant, fragrance agent. It appears in about 10% of cosmetic products in our 90,000+ product dataset. It carries no restriction under the EU Cosmetics Regulation annexes. PubMed carries 1,762 studies of its skin or topical use.

INCI namePROPYLENE GLYCOL
FunctionHUMECTANT, FRAGRANCE, SOLVENT, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING
CAS number57-55-6
EC number200-338-0
Prevalence9,312 products (10.03% of dataset)
Most used inSkincare
EU statusNo annex restriction
Scientific studies1,762 on PubMed (skin/cosmetic/topical)
Monthly searches60,500

Used in

Serums 11.6%Face Cleansers 8.6%General Moisturizers 7.6%Toners 5.4%Sunscreens 4.8%Shampoos 3.8%

Frequently asked

What does Propylene Glycol do in skincare?
Propylene Glycol functions as a humectant, fragrance agent in cosmetic formulas.
What products contain Propylene Glycol?
It is most commonly found in Skincare products, especially serums (11.6% of its uses).

Manufacturers with experience using Propylene Glycol

Match with vetted US contract manufacturers that have hands-on experience formulating with this ingredient.