Safety review of phenoxyethanol when used as a preservative in cosmetics

作者：Brigitte Dréno, Torsten Zuberbier, C. Gelmetti, Gabriel Gontijo, Marina Marinovich · 发表于：Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology · 年份：2019 · DOI：10.1111/jdv.15944 · 被引用次数：133 · 研究领域：Skin Protection and Aging、Contact Dermatitis and Allergies、Animal testing and alternatives

Phenoxyethanol, or 2-phenoxyethanol, has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and has been widely used as a preservative in cosmetic products for decades. It is effective against various Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, as well as against yeasts, and has only a weak inhibitory effect on resident skin flora. According to the European Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety, phenoxyethanol is safe for all consumers - including children of all ages - when used as a preservative in cosmetic products at a maximum concentration of 1%. Adverse systemic effects have been observed in toxicological studies on animals but only when the levels of exposure were many magnitudes higher (around 200-fold higher) than those to which consumers are exposed when using phenoxyethanol-containing cosmetic products. Despite its widespread use in cosmetic products, phenoxyethanol is a rare sensitizer. It can be considered as one of the most well-tolerated preservatives used in cosmetic products.