Ethoxyethanol

What Is It?

Ethoxyethanol and Ethoxyethanol are liquids. In the past, these ingredients had reported use in hair and nail care products.

Why Is It Used?

Ethoxyethanol and Ethoxyethanol Acetate dissolve other substances and decrease the thickness of liquid cosmetic and personal care products.

Scientific Facts

Ethoxyethanol is an aliphatic alcohol, and Ethoxyethanol Acetate is an aliphatic ether.

Safety Information

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) includes Ethoxyethanol on its list of indirect food additives. It is permitted for use in the manufacture of rubber articles intended for repeated use. The safety of Ethoxyethanol and Ethoxyethanol Acetate has been assessed by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel. The CIR Expert Panel reviewed the scientific data and concluded that Ethoxyethanol and Ethoxyethanol Acetate were unsafe for use in cosmetic and personal care products.

CIR Safety Review: In 1998, at the time the CIR report was written, no uses of Ethoxyethanol and Ethoxyethanol Acetate in cosmetic and personal were identified. It was noted that both Ethoxyethanol and Ethoxyethanol Acetate were metabolized to ethoxyacetic acid. Acute oral toxicity studies in several species reported kidney damage, including extreme tubular degeneration. Kidney damage was also seen in acute dermal toxicity studies. Ethoxyethanol and Ethoxyethanol Acetate were mild to moderate eye irritants, mild skin irritants nonsensitizers.

Most genotoxicity tests were negative, but chromosome aberrations and sister-chromatid exchange were among the positive results reported. Numerous reproductive and developmental toxicity studies, across several species, involving various routes of administration, indicate that Ethoxyethanol and Ethoxyethanol Acetate were reproductive and developmental toxicants. Mild anemia was reported in individuals exposed occupationally to Ethoxyethanol, which resolved when the chemical was not used. Reproductive effects have been noted in men exposed occupationally to Ethoxyethanol. The CIR Expert Panel noted that the available data indicated that Ethoxyethanol and Ethoxyethanol Acetate were well absorbed across human skin, and that these compounds were clearly reproductive and developmental toxicants via dermal exposure.

The CIR Expert Panel noted that a threshold for reproductive and developmental toxicity following dermal exposure to Ethoxyethanol and Ethoxyethanol Acetate has not been determined. Therefore, based on the demonstrated reproductive and developmental toxicity associated with dermal and other routes exposures, the CIR Expert Panel concluded that these ingredients were unsafe for use in cosmetic and personal care product formulations.

Link to FDA Code of Federal Regulations for Ethoxyethanol 
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr…

Ethoxyethanol and Ethoxyethanol Acetate are not permitted for use in cosmetics and personal care products marketed in the European Union (see Annex II).

Link to the EU Cosmetic Regulation:
http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/consumers/product_labelling_and_p…

Ethoxyethanol and Ethoxyethanol Acetate are not permitted for use in cosmetics and personal care products in Canada. Link to the Health Canada website:
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/person/cosmet/info-ind-prof/_hot-list-cri…

More Scientific Information

Other technical names for Ethoxyethanol include 2-ethoxyethanol, ethylene glycol ethyl ether, and ethylene glycol monoethyl ether. Other technical names for Ethoxyethanol Acetate include 2-ethoxyethanol acetate and ethylene glycol monoethyl ether acetylated.

Resources

Find out more about the regulation of Food Additives by the Food and Drug Administration

Food Ingredients and Packaging: http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/default.htm

Food Contact Substances: http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/PackagingFCS/defaul…

Substances Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS): http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/GRAS/default.htm

Search the Code of Federal Regulations http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/cfrsearch.cfm

EU Cosmetics Inventory http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cosmetics/cosing/