Propylene glycol
On the label: Propylene Glycol · Solvent
What it is
A glycol used as a humectant and solvent in cosmetics, foods and medicines. Listed as a contact allergen for a small share of people in patch-test studies.
Solvents: Solvents dissolve the other ingredients; water is the commonest, followed by alcohols and glycols.
Wikidata: Derivatives of propylene glycol, used for example as humectants and solvents in pharmaceutical preparations. Q68144671 →
In the research
1,350 PubMed papers mention it with skin, cosmetics or hair; the three most recent:
- American Contact Dermatitis Society Core Allergen Series: 2027 Update · Dermatitis : contact, atopic, occupational, drug, 2026
- Prevalence of Contact Sensitization in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis: A Retrospective Study from China · Acta dermato-venereologica, 2026
- Gelled Oil-in-Water Microemulsions Stabilized with Natural Surfactant Decyl Glucoside as Cutaneous Nanocarriers for Cinnamon Bark Essential Oil: Formulation and Comprehensive Pharm · Pharmaceutics, 2026
A paper is a paper, not a verdict: titles are listed so you can read them, and a study on cells or mice says little about a cream on a face.
Products whose label lists it
16 on the siteMatched from the ingredient list the supplier printed; the position in the list (first or thirtieth) is on each product page.
Made in the USA
Made in the USA
Made in the USA
Made in the USA
Made in the USA
Made in the USA
Made in the USA
Made in the USAOther solvents
Dew & Balm describes ingredients from the public record and makes no claim about what a product will do for you. Statements about dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the FDA. If a product causes a reaction, stop using it; a reaction that spreads or affects breathing is a call to a doctor or 911.