Baby Safety / Compounds / Phenoxyethanol

Is Phenoxyethanol safe for babies and kids?

Very high risk for kids

Infants are exposed to Phenoxyethanol through personal care products (lotions, wipes) and food. Immature skin barrier and hepatic metabolism increase effective dose per body weight.

What is phenoxyethanol?

The IUPAC name is 2-phenoxyethanol.

Also known as: 2-phenoxyethanol, Ethylene glycol monophenyl ether, Phenyl cellosolve, Phenoxethol.

IUPAC name
2-phenoxyethanol
CAS number
122-99-6
Molecular formula
C8H10O2
Molecular weight
138.16 g/mol
SMILES
C1=CC=C(C=C1)OCCO
PubChem CID
31236

Risk for babies

Very high risk

Infants are exposed to Phenoxyethanol through personal care products (lotions, wipes) and food. Immature skin barrier and hepatic metabolism increase effective dose per body weight.

Neonates and infants up to 12 months have incomplete blood-brain barrier development, immature Phase I/II metabolic enzymes (particularly CYP3A4, UGT1A1), and higher gastrointestinal permeability. Equivalent doses produce higher internal concentrations and longer residence times.

What to do: Minimize infant exposure through source control. For breastfeeding mothers: reduce maternal exposure. For formula-fed infants: use certified low-migration bottles and verified water sources. Consult pediatrician regarding any concerns.

Risk for pregnant and nursing people

Context-dependent

Prenatal exposure to Phenoxyethanol through personal care products and food is a concern. Some preservatives (parabens) exhibit weak estrogenic activity that may affect fetal endocrine development.

No specific reproductive toxicity data identified, but pregnancy-specific safety data is limited for most chemicals. Precautionary minimization of exposure is recommended.

What to do: Minimize exposure during pregnancy and lactation. Consult healthcare provider regarding specific risks. Consider alternative products with lower hazard profiles.

Regulatory consensus

1 regulatory bodyhas classified Phenoxyethanol.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
Unknown——

Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.

Where kids encounter phenoxyethanol

  • Personal Care — moisturizer, serum, sunscreen, baby products, shampoo
  • Consumer Products — cleaning products, wet wipes

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Phenoxyethanol:

  • Ethylhexylglycerin + organic acids
    Trade-offs: Alternative preservation system; spectrum of antimicrobial activity differs (gram+/gram-, yeasts, molds); pH range of efficacy varies; challenge testing per ISO 11930 required for cosmetics.
    Relative cost: 2-5×
  • Caprylyl glycol
    Trade-offs: Alternative preservation system; spectrum of antimicrobial activity differs (gram+/gram-, yeasts, molds); pH range of efficacy varies; challenge testing per ISO 11930 required for cosmetics.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×
  • Pentylene glycol
    Trade-offs: Alternative preservation system; spectrum of antimicrobial activity differs (gram+/gram-, yeasts, molds); pH range of efficacy varies; challenge testing per ISO 11930 required for cosmetics.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions

Is phenoxyethanol safe for kids?

Infants are exposed to Phenoxyethanol through personal care products (lotions, wipes) and food. Immature skin barrier and hepatic metabolism increase effective dose per body weight.

What products contain phenoxyethanol?

Phenoxyethanol appears in: moisturizer (Personal care); serum (Personal care); cleaning products (Consumer products); wet wipes (Consumer products).

What should I do if my child is exposed to phenoxyethanol?

Minimize infant exposure through source control. For breastfeeding mothers: reduce maternal exposure. For formula-fed infants: use certified low-migration bottles and verified water sources. Consult pediatrician regarding any concerns.

See Phenoxyethanol in the baby app

Look up products containing phenoxyethanol, compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

Open in baby View raw API data

Sources (1)
  1. PubChem Compound Database (2026) — database

Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for veterinary, medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →