Propylene Glycol is a wetting and wetting agent. This ingredient is typically used in brake fluid, antifreeze, laundry detergents, paints, and floor wax. It is also used in the cosmetics industry and in some foods to prevent products from melting or freezing in extreme temperatures by maintaining a balanced moisture content. Propylene glycol is on the US Food and Drug Administration’s list of generally recognized as safe (GRAS) ingredients and is recognized as safe for use by the World Health Organization.
Despite its GRAS status, there are a growing number of popular claims that propylene glycol is an inappropriate ingredient for cosmetics and food. This is largely due to the material safety data sheet (MSDS). An MSDS is a safety disclosure that instructs manufacturers and shippers on proper procedures for handling ingredients, dealing with accidental exposure, and cleaning up spills. An MSDS does not indicate how the ingredient will react when combined with other ingredients, and the effects of exposure to any hazardous substance depend on the dose, duration, how you are exposed, personal traits and habits, and whether other chemicals are present. However, the MSDS can be used as a guide to the hazard potential of ingredients.
The material safety data sheet for propylene glycol states that “it is implicated in contact dermatitis, kidney damage, and liver abnormalities; it can inhibit cell growth in human tests, and it can damage cell membranes causing rashes, dry skin, and liver damage.” the surface”. The concentrated form of the ingredient may cause temporary redness, stinging, or swelling when in contact with the eyes or skin. Propylene glycol is a petroleum plastic that can easily penetrate deeper layers of the skin and potentially weaken the cellular structure.
These indications do not mean that a product formulated with the ingredient will have irritating properties but that it could. Due to propylene glycol’s potential to weaken cell structure, people with a propensity for sensitive, easily irritated or damaged skin are likely to be more likely to be affected. However, it’s probably best to avoid any cosmetic ingredients that have these risk factors, as there are always safe alternatives.
If there is any good news, it is that the MSDS of propylene glycol does not contain indications of carcinogenicity or effects of chronic exposure and tests both in humans who have worked with this substance and in animals have confirmed this. However, there are good natural alternatives to propylene glycol and, in this author’s opinion, synthetic ingredients should always be avoided where possible.