Polyethylene glycol (PEG): Why you should avoid it in your cosmetics

What is Polyethylene Glycol?

If you look at the ingredients of the cosmetics you use every day, you will almost always see the name "PEG" listed.

Have you ever used it while wondering, "What on earth is this?" If you know what kind of ingredient PEG is, you might think, "I'd rather avoid it if possible..."

In this article, we will introduce some scary stories about PEG (polyethylene glycol) which is used in cosmetics.

Related article: PEG skin penetration and side effects: How to choose safe cosmetics that are gentle on sensitive skin

Contains polyethylene glycol

The official name of PEG is "polyethylene glycol." PEG is just an abbreviation. PEG is often followed by a number (e.g., PEG-100).

It is used in a wide variety of cosmetics, including basic skincare products and shampoos.

They are used as thickeners, fabric softeners, moisturizers, penetration enhancers, and surfactants.
With so many functions, PEG is a useful ingredient that is highly valued.

Although it is sometimes used alone, it is also adept at combining with a variety of substances.

When it is combined with other substances, the name changes slightly to reflect that. In most cases, it will be PEG followed by a number and then the name of the other compound ( The names are followed by PEG-10 soy sterols, etc.

The more complex the bonds, the longer the component names tend to be.

For example, the ingredient names:

"PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-5/3 Glycerin"

Each combined component is separated by a slash.

In this way, new PEG ingredients are being created one after another by combining them with various substances. As a result, there are already over 1,000 types of cosmetic ingredients that contain PEG!

There are many, but remember that if they contain polyethylene glycol, they will always say "PEG."

Chemicals hidden in PEG

PEG (polyethylene glycol) is so popular that it seems there is probably no cosmetic product that doesn't contain it. The raw material is actually petroleum residue left over after refining petroleum.

Now, here's where it gets a little scary: the manufacturing process of PEG always requires a substance called "ethylene oxide," because there is a process called "ethoxylation" in which ethylene oxide is added to cause a chemical reaction.

In fact, ethylene oxide is a substance that is considered to be carcinogenic and neurotoxic, etc. And PEG produced by " ethoxylation" can be contaminated or contain residual ethylene oxide.
In addition, the ethoxylation process may also produce 1,4-dioxane, which is also a carcinogen.

But wait a minute.

Neither "ethylene oxide" nor "1,4-dioxane" is listed on the ingredient list of cosmetics, is it?
Some people may think so.

It's true that it's not written on the website. Because these substances are used to cause chemical reactions during the manufacturing process or occur accidentally. They are not ingredients that are intentionally added to cosmetics.

Therefore, there is no obligation to list all ingredients on the label . In the EU, there are restrictions on the residual concentration of 1,4-dioxane, but there are no such laws in Japan at present.

In other words, as long as PEG is included, there is a possibility that these carcinogenic substances are contained in cosmetics.

PEG (polyethylene glycol) also has the effect of increasing the skin's permeability to other ingredients, promoting the penetration of active ingredients and beauty ingredients.

In other words, this means that harmful ingredients can more easily penetrate the skin.

How to avoid polyethylene glycol

Despite these concerns, PEG (polyethylene glycol) itself is considered a safe and non-toxic ingredient, but it's not surprising that some people would say, "Now that I know about it, I'd like to avoid it if possible."

If you want to avoid PEG (polyethylene glycol), check the ingredients list to see if "PEG" is listed. In quasi-drugs, it is written as "polyethylene glycol."

As mentioned above, 1,4-dioxane and ethylene oxide are suspected carcinogens, etc. PEG is not the only product in which the "ethoxylation" process that produces these compounds is used.

• PPG
• Laures
• Ceteareth

These are PEG-related ingredients. By avoiding these ingredients, you may be able to avoid the situation where you "unknowingly came into contact with risky ingredients!"

Avoiding unwanted chemicals

In this way, we may be exposed to harmful chemicals without even knowing it.
Of course, using products containing PEG doesn't necessarily pose any immediate health risks, but avoiding PEG can reduce your exposure to other harmful ingredients.