Butyl-ene Glycol ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is mainly used as a humectant and solvent, helping formulas hold water, dissolve actives, and improve spread. It can also support preservative performance in emulsions, serums, and cleansers.
What does Butyl-ene Glycol do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is mainly used as a humectant and solvent, helping formulas hold water, dissolve actives, and improve spread. It can also support preservative performance in emulsions, serums, and cleansers.
Is Butyl-ene Glycol clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, it is generally well tolerated, has low sensitization potential, and is not a major restricted-list ingredient. The main caveat is sourcing, since conventional grades are petroleum-derived while newer renewable grades are available.
Is Butyl-ene Glycol sustainable?
This material can be made from petrochemical feedstocks or from plant-derived fermentation routes, so its footprint depends heavily on the grade. It is readily biodegradable and is not considered a persistent environmental ingredient.
Is Butyl-ene Glycol COSMOS-approved?
This ingredient has conditional alignment, with renewable, appropriately processed grades able to fit COSMOS-natural inputs, while conventional petrochemical grades do not align with COSMOS-organic or COSMOS-natural principles. From a Green Chemistry view, the stronger profile comes from bio-based production, ready biodegradability, and its use as a relatively benign solvent.
How does Butyl-ene Glycol work chemically?
The molecule is a small four-carbon alcohol with two hydroxyl groups, which explains its water affinity, solvent behavior, and skin-feel benefits. It is commonly used around 1 to 10 percent, is stable across normal cosmetic pH ranges, and can increase penetration of some actives or preservatives.
Last updated 2026-05-16