About Phenoxyethanol
Phenoxyethanol, which occurs naturally in green tea, is a commonly used, nontoxic preservative that is considered the safest and most effective on the market. Without a preservative such a phenoxyethanol, Nature’s Aid would last no more than a couple of weeks once opened.
All natural products require a preservative in order to combat bacteria, fungus and germs that can contaminate a product and shorten its shelf life. As common preservatives, such as parabens, are being condemned due to their higher toxicity rates and associations with skin irritations, alternatives such as phenoxyethanol are becoming increasingly popular. Phenoxyethanol is approved for worldwide use in all types of water-based cosmetics,up to a 1% concentration, and we use less than that amount. The percentage of phenoxyethanol used in Nature’s Aid is considered safe, even for use on infants.
Common Concerns
Nature’s Aid skin gel uses as little phenoxyethanol as possible, taking advantage of some of our other ingredients’ preservative properties to ensure that our concentration of phenoxyethanol falls far below what is considered safe. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel has assessed the safety of phenoxyethanol several times, evaluating all scientific data, and has concluded that phenoxyethanol is a safe cosmetic ingredient.
Quick Facts
EWG Score: 4
