Source: https://reeflabel.com/ingredients/phenoxyethanol/ Preservative · Reef research: Limited data # Phenoxyethanol A very common paraben alternative. Named in Palau's reef-toxic chemical list, which catches many products that are otherwise mineral-only. Banned in - Palau ## Is Phenoxyethanol safe for your skin? The EU's scientific committee on consumer safety (SCCS) judged phenoxyethanol safe as a cosmetic preservative at up to 1%, including for children. France's medicines agency (ANSM), which had earlier pushed for tighter limits for under-threes, now requires a label warning against using leave-on products containing it on the bottoms of children aged 3 or under. - EU limit: phenoxyethanol is allowed as a preservative in cosmetics at a maximum of 1%. The SCCS (2016) considered it safe at that level. - The SCCS put the margin of safety for children at about 50 and said this covers their possibly higher exposure. Its opinion looked only at cosmetics, not other sources of exposure. - France, 2012: after a risk assessment, ANSM recommended capping phenoxyethanol at 0.4% in cosmetics for children under three and not using it on the nappy area. The SCCS's 2016 opinion came to a different conclusion at 1%. - France, 2019: as a precaution, ANSM decided that leave-on cosmetics containing phenoxyethanol must carry a label saying they cannot be used on the bottoms of children aged 3 or under. For other products for that age group, the 1% limit applies. - [SCCS (2016): Final version of the opinion on Phenoxyethanol in cosmetic products (Regul Toxicol Pharmacol; doi:10.1016/j.yrtph.2016.11.007)](https://health.ec.europa.eu/document/download/11505b68-6f8c-438c-b46c-ba3d51470f2b_en?filename=rtp_122016b.pdf) - [ANSM (France), 2019 decision on leave-on cosmetics containing phenoxyethanol (updated 2021)](https://ansm.sante.fr/actualites/les-produits-cosmetiques-non-rinces-contenant-du-phenoxyethanol-ne-doivent-pas-etre-utilises-sur-les-fesses-des-enfants-de-3-ans-ou-moins) Last reviewed October 14, 2026. This summarises what regulators and published studies found. It isn't medical advice. ## Where it’s restricted Named in the law or guidance | Location | Status | Since | | --- | --- | --- | | [Palau](https://reeflabel.com/locations/palau/) [law text ↗](https://www.palaugov.pw/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/RPPL-No.-10-30-re.-The-Responsible-Tourism-Education-Act-of-2018.pdf) | In force | January 1, 2020 | ## What the reef research says A 2021 Daphnia magna reproduction test found no effect on growth or reproduction at 46.9 mg/L, which the author describes as far above the levels measured in Japanese urban rivers. Kimura et al. (2014) measured up to 14,000 ng/L of phenoxyethanol at Japanese river sites. Sources (4) - [Mano 2021, Chronic toxicity of 2-phenoxyethanol to Daphnia magna (Jpn J Environ Toxicol 24:48-52)](https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jset/24/0/24_240204/_article) - [Kimura et al. 2014, Occurrence of preservatives and antimicrobials in Japanese rivers (Chemosphere 107:393)](https://hero.epa.gov/reference/12140896/) - [SCCS (2016): Final version of the opinion on Phenoxyethanol in cosmetic products (Regul Toxicol Pharmacol; doi:10.1016/j.yrtph.2016.11.007)](https://health.ec.europa.eu/document/download/11505b68-6f8c-438c-b46c-ba3d51470f2b_en?filename=rtp_122016b.pdf) - [ANSM (France), 2019 decision on leave-on cosmetics containing phenoxyethanol (updated 2021)](https://ansm.sante.fr/actualites/les-produits-cosmetiques-non-rinces-contenant-du-phenoxyethanol-ne-doivent-pas-etre-utilises-sur-les-fesses-des-enfants-de-3-ans-ou-moins) ## Products that contain it (317) [ Alba Botanica Baby Mineral Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 SPF 50 · lotion · Mineral Allowed in 8 of 9 placesNot allowed: Palau ](https://reeflabel.com/products/alba-botanica-baby-mineral-sunscreen-lotion-spf-50/)[ Alba Botanica Sheer Mineral Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 SPF 50 · lotion · Mineral Allowed in 8 of 9 placesNot allowed: Palau ](https://reeflabel.com/products/alba-botanica-sheer-mineral-sunscreen-lotion-spf-50/)[ Alba Botanica Sheer Mineral Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30 SPF 30 · lotion · Mineral Allowed in 8 of 9 placesNot allowed: Palau ](https://reeflabel.com/products/alba-botanica-sheer-mineral-sunscreen-lotion-spf-30/)[ Alba Botanica Sheer Mineral Sunscreen Face Lotion SPF 50 SPF 50 · lotion · Mineral Allowed in 8 of 9 placesNot allowed: Palau ](https://reeflabel.com/products/alba-botanica-sheer-mineral-sunscreen-face-lotion-spf-50/)[ Alba Botanica Sheer Mineral Sunscreen Face Lotion SPF 30 SPF 30 · lotion · Mineral Allowed in 8 of 9 placesNot allowed: Palau ](https://reeflabel.com/products/alba-botanica-sheer-mineral-sunscreen-face-lotion-spf-30/)[ Alba Botanica Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 SPF 50 · lotion · Mineral Allowed in 8 of 9 placesNot allowed: Palau ](https://reeflabel.com/products/alba-botanica-sensitive-mineral-sunscreen-lotion-spf-50/)[ Alba Botanica Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30 SPF 30 · lotion · Mineral Allowed in 8 of 9 placesNot allowed: Palau ](https://reeflabel.com/products/alba-botanica-sensitive-mineral-sunscreen-lotion-spf-30/)[ Alba Botanica Hydrating Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30 SPF 30 · lotion · Chemical/hybrid Allowed in 4 of 9 placesNot allowed: Maui County, Hawaiʻi County +3 ](https://reeflabel.com/products/alba-botanica-hydrating-sunscreen-lotion-spf-30/)[ Alba Botanica Hydrating Sunscreen Face Lotion SPF 30 SPF 30 · lotion · Chemical/hybrid Allowed in 4 of 9 placesNot allowed: Maui County, Hawaiʻi County +3 ](https://reeflabel.com/products/alba-botanica-hydrating-sunscreen-face-lotion-spf-30/)[ Alba Botanica Daily Moisturizing SPF 15 Body Lotion SPF 15 · lotion · Chemical/hybrid Allowed in 4 of 9 placesNot allowed: Maui County, Hawaiʻi County +3 ](https://reeflabel.com/products/alba-botanica-daily-moisturizing-spf-15-body-lotion/)[ Alba Botanica Even & Bright SPF 15 Moisturizer SPF 15 · lotion · Chemical/hybrid Allowed in 4 of 9 placesNot allowed: Maui County, Hawaiʻi County +3 ](https://reeflabel.com/products/alba-botanica-even-bright-spf-15-moisturizer/)[ Alba Botanica Hydration Sensation Water Gel SPF 18 SPF 18 · gel · Chemical/hybrid Allowed in 4 of 9 placesNot allowed: Maui County, Hawaiʻi County +3 ](https://reeflabel.com/products/alba-botanica-hydration-sensation-water-gel-spf-18/) [See all 317 products that list phenoxyethanol →](https://reeflabel.com/products/?q=phenoxyethanol) **Related ingredients:** [Methylparaben](https://reeflabel.com/ingredients/methylparaben/), [Propylparaben](https://reeflabel.com/ingredients/propylparaben/), [Triclosan](https://reeflabel.com/ingredients/triclosan/) Last reviewed October 14, 2026. ### Label names we match - phenoxyethanol - 2-phenoxyethanol ### Regulatory status **Wikidata:** [Q418038](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q418038) **US FDA:** Permitted. **EU:** Permitted, max 1%.