Here's the ingrediant list for the serum stick.
SERUM STICK INGREDIENTS: SQUALANE, ORYZA SATIVA (RICE) BRAN WAX, CERA ALBA/BEESWAX/CIRE
D’ABEILLE, SACCHAROMYCES/CAMELLIA SINENSIS LEAF/CLADOSIPHON OKAMURANUS/RICE FERMENT
FILTRATE*, MELISSA OFFICINALIS LEAF EXTRACT, BETAPHYCUS GELATINUM EXTRACT, SODIUM
HYALURONATE, TOCOPHEROL, AQUA/WATER/EAU, PENTYLENE GLYCOL, BUTYLENE GLYCOL,
PROPANEDIOL, ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN, PHENOXYETHANOL *HADASEI-3
SODIUM
HYALURONATE is the sodium salt of hyluronic acid.
TOCOPHEROL is found in wheat ger, egg yolk and leafy greens that collectively constitute vitimin E.
PENTYLENE GLYCOL Pentylene glycol is a synthetic, low molecular weight solvent and skin-conditioning agent.
BUTYLENE GLYCOL Butylene Glycol (BG) is a humectant, a chemical that helps your skin (or other substances) retain moisture. It is also a solubilizer, which means it makes other substances (such as fat) more soluble in water. Butylene Glycol is commonly used in cosmetics, that has multiple functions, including a penetration enhancer or as a slip agent.
PROPANEDIOL Propanediol (PDO) is a common ingredient in cosmetics and personal care products such as lotions, cleansers, and other skin treatments. It’s a chemical similar to propylene glycol, but thought to be safer.
However, there haven’t been enough studies yet to definitively determine safety. But considering current data, it’s most likely that topical PDO in cosmetics carries a low risk for serious problems.
PDO is a chemical substance either derived from corn or petroleum. It can be clear or very slightly yellow. It’s almost odorless. You’re likely to find PDO listed as an ingredient in pretty much any category of cosmetics and personal care products.
Cosmetic companies use it because it’s effective — and low cost — as a moisturizer. It can help your skin quickly absorb other ingredients in your product of choice. It can also help dilute other active ingredients.
According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), you’ll find PDO most often in facial moisturizers, serums, and face masks. But you can also find it in other personal care products, including:
- antiperspirant
- hair color
- eyeliner
- foundation
Is propanediol safe?
PDO is generally thought to be safe when absorbed through the skin in small amounts from topical cosmetics. Although PDO is categorized as a skin irritant, EWG notes that the health risks in cosmetics are low.
And after a panel of experts working for the Cosmetic Ingredient Review analyzed current data on propanediol, they found it to be safe when used in cosmetics.
In a study of topical propanediol on human skin, researchers only found evidence of irritation in a very low percentage of people.
Another study demonstrated that high-dose propanediol in oral form can have a fatal effect on lab rats. But, when rats inhaled a propanediol vapor, the test subjects showed no deaths or other serious irritation.
Does it cause allergic reactions?
PDO has caused skin irritation, but not sensitization, in some animals and humans.
So, while some people might experience irritation after use, it doesn’t seem to cause an actual reaction. Additionally, PDO is less irritating than PG, which is known to sometimes cause allergic reactions.
Can it affect the nervous system?
There is one documented case of PDO contributing to the death of a person. But this case involved a woman intentionally drinking large amounts of antifreeze that contained PDO.
There’s no evidence that the small amounts of propanediol absorbed through the skin through cosmetics would lead to death.
Is it safe for pregnant women?
No peer-reviewed studies have looked at PDO’s effect on human pregnancy as of yet. But when lab animals were given high doses of PDO, no birth defects or terminations of pregnancy occurred.
The bottom line
According to current data, using cosmetics or personal care products that contain low amounts of propanediol doesn’t pose much of a risk. A small population of people may have irritated skin after lots of exposure, but it doesn’t seem to be a risk for anything more serious.
Additionally, propanediol shows promise as a healthier alternative to propylene glycol as a skin care ingredient.
PDO has many household and manufacturing uses. It’s found in a variety of products, from skin cream to printer ink to auto antifreeze.
ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN Ethylhexylglycerin is a natural preservative derived from glycerin that also functions as a surfactant, a deodorizing agent, and a skin-conditioning agent in cosmetics and personal care products.
PHENOXYETHANOL
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative used in many cosmetics and personal care products. You may have a cabinet full of products containing this ingredient in your home, whether you know it or not.
Chemically, phenoxyethanol is known as a glycol ether, or in other words, a solvent. CosmeticsInfo.org describes phenoxyethanol as “an oily, slightly sticky liquid with a faint rose-like scent.”
You likely come into contact with this chemical on a regular basis. But is it safe? The evidence is mixed.
We’ll review the most relevant scientific research about this common cosmetics ingredient. You can decide whether you’d like to keep or banish it from your personal care products arsenal.
How’s it used?
Many mainstream and boutique cosmetics products contain phenoxyethanol. It’s often used as a preservative or stabilizer for other ingredients that might otherwise deteriorate, spoil, or become less effective too quickly.
Phenoxyethanol is also used in other industries, including in vaccines and textiles. This article focuses on its role in topical cosmetics.
How does it appear on the label?
You might see this ingredient listed in a few ways:
- phenoxyethanol
- ethylene glycol monophenyl ether
- 2-Phenoxyethanol
- PhE
- dowanol
- arosol
- phenoxetol
- rose ether
- phenoxyethyl alcohol
- beta-hydroxyethyl phenyl ether
- euxyl K® 400, a mixture of Phenoxyethanol and 1,2-dibromo-2,4-dicyanobutane
What cosmetics is it found in?
You can find phenoxyethanol as an ingredient in a wide variety of cosmetics and hygiene products, including:
- perfume
- foundation
- blush
- lipstick
- soaps
- hand sanitizer
- ultrasound gel, and more
Perhaps most famously in the public consciousness, it was used in Mommy Bliss brand nipple cream. In 2008, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)Trusted Source recalled it as unsafe for breastfeeding infants, due to concerns about how it affects their central nervous system.
Why is it added to cosmetics?
In perfumes, fragrances, soaps, and cleansers, phenoxyethanol works as a stabilizer. In other cosmetics, it’s used as an antibacterial and/or a preservative to prevent products from losing their potency or spoiling.
When combined with another chemical, some evidence indicates that it’s effective at reducing acne. One 2008 study on 30 human subjects with inflammatory acne showed that after six weeks of twice-daily applications, more than half of the subjects saw a 50 percent improvement in their number of pimples.
Manufacturers who want to avoid using parabens, which have recently lost favor among health-conscious consumers, might use phenoxyethanol in their products as a substitute.
But is phenoxyethanol safer than parabens for topical use in humans?
Is phenoxyethanol safe?
Deciding whether or not you want to use products with this chemical is a complicated decision. There’s conflicting data about its safety. Most of the concern stems from recorded incidents of bad skin reactions and nervous system interaction in infants.
The FDA currently allows the use of this ingredient in cosmetics, and as an indirect food additive.
An expert panel from The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) first reviewed all available data on this chemical in 1990. They deemed it safe when applied topically in concentrations of 1 percent or lower.
In 2007, the panel reviewed newly available data, then confirmed their former decision that it’s safe for adults to use topically in very low concentrations.
The European Commission on Health and Food Safety also gives this chemical a “safe” rating when used in cosmetics at a 1-percent or less concentration. However, this report notes that using several products all containing a low dose could result in overexposure.
Japan also restricts use in cosmetics to a 1-percent concentration.
Possible health concerns
Allergies and skin irritation
In humans
Phenoxyethanol is known to cause allergic-type reactions on the skin in some people. Some argue that these bad reactions are the result of allergies in the test subjects. Others argue that it’s simply a skin irritant that affects different people at different levels.
Several studies have shown both humans and animals can experience:
- skin irritation
- rashes
- eczema
- hives
In one study on a human subject, this chemical caused hives and anaphylaxis (a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction) in a patient who used topical skin products with the ingredient. Though, anaphylaxis from this chemical is very rare.
In another case report, ultrasound gel that contained this chemical caused contact dermatitis in a human subject.
Both of these cases are just examples of many similar incidences of this chemical causing irritation and rashes in humans. But the frequency of these symptoms is very low when compared to how often people are exposed with no notable side effects. And they’re generally thought to be caused by allergies.
In infants
Phenoxyethanol is thought to cause central nervous system damage in exposed infants. However, there’s no known significant risk to the mother, or other healthy adults without allergies.
In animals
The European Commission on Health and Food Safety cites multiple studies where rabbits and rats exposed to the chemical had skin irritation, even at low levels.
The bottom line
You should avoid this chemical if you’re:
- allergic to it
- pregnant
- breastfeeding
- considering using on a child under 3-years old
The risks outweigh the possible benefits in those cases.
However, if you’re a healthy adult with no history of skin allergy, you likely don’t need to worry about exposure through cosmetics under a 1-percent concentration. You should, however, be aware of layering too many products containing this ingredient at one time, since it can accumulate.
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