Polyethylene Glycols are polymers of ethylene glycol. In addition to being named based on the number of units of ethylene glycol, they may also be named based on the molecular weight of the compound. For example, PEG-400 is also known as Polyethylene Glycol 400, where 400 represents the average molecular weight of the compound. It is a viscous liquid that is clear and colorless. It works as a binding, emulsion stabilizing agent, and solvent in cosmetics and personal care products.
What is PEG-400 used for?
PEG-400 in personal care: It serves as the base for skin creams and lotions and acts as a solubilizer in creams, lotions, and bath gels. It also works as a binder, solvent, and an emulsion stabilizer.
It functions as a solvent and viscosity modifier in soaps. PEG-400 esters are frequently employed as surfactants.
Because many PEG types are hydrophilic, they are favorably used as enhancers of penetration, and used heavily in topical dermatological preparations. PEGs, along with their many nonionic derivatives, are widely utilized in cosmetic products as surfactants, emulsifiers, cleansing agents, humectants, and skin conditioners.
Safety profile
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel has evaluated the safety of triethylene glycol and other polyethylene glycols. Triethylene Glycol and polyethylene glycol ingredients were found to be safe for use in cosmetics and personal care products after the CIR Expert Panel reviewed the scientific evidence. In general, the polyethylene glycol (PEG) ingredients have a low order of oral and dermal toxicity, according to the CIR Expert Panel. Higher molecular weight PEGs (PEG-75 and greater) were not absorbed through intact skin, while lower molecular weight PEG ingredients were only minimally absorbed. The PEGs did not sensitise skin and only slightly irritated it. The information at hand suggested that PEGs were neither mutagenic nor carcinogenic.
The polyethylene glycol ingredients may contain trace amounts of 1,4-dioxane, a by-product of ethoxylation. This substance may be present, but its presence can be controlled by taking the necessary purification steps before combining it with other ingredients to create cosmetic formulations.