Phenoxyenthanol ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is a preservative used mainly to control bacteria in water-containing formulas, with secondary solvent and scent-fixative roles. It is often paired with preservative boosters for broader yeast and mold coverage.
What does Phenoxyenthanol do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is a preservative used mainly to control bacteria in water-containing formulas, with secondary solvent and scent-fixative roles. It is often paired with preservative boosters for broader yeast and mold coverage.
Is Phenoxyenthanol clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, it is accepted by some standards at low levels but restricted or excluded by others, mainly because it is synthetic and can irritate sensitive skin at higher concentrations. In regulated cosmetics, it is typically allowed up to 1%.
Is Phenoxyenthanol sustainable?
This material is commonly made from petrochemical feedstocks, so its sourcing is not strongly renewable. It is considered readily biodegradable and is not known for environmental persistence in normal cosmetic use patterns.
Is Phenoxyenthanol COSMOS-approved?
It is not permitted under COSMOS natural or organic standards. Its low-use preservation efficiency is useful, but fossil-based sourcing and conventional synthetic processing make it only partially aligned with Green Chemistry priorities.
How does Phenoxyenthanol work chemically?
The molecule is a small aromatic ether alcohol, which helps it partition between water and oil phases and disrupt microbial cell membranes. It is commonly used around 0.3% to 1.0%, is broadly stable across typical cosmetic pH ranges, and is often combined with boosters to improve coverage against fungi.
Last updated 2026-05-16