Is Diethylene Glycol safe in cosmetics?
Diethylene Glycol has a safety rating of "POOR" in our database. EU status: restricted. US status: restricted. 10 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.
Diethylene Glycol
Also known as: Ethanol, 2,2'-oxybis-, 2-Hydroxyethyl ether, 2,2'-0xydiethanol, 4-01-00-02390, Bis(beta-hydroxyethyl) ether (+10 more)
INCI: DIETHYLENE GLYCOL
Diethylene Glycol (CAS 111-46-6) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Solvent, Viscosity Controlling. Reported NOAEL =1.6 mg/kg bw/day (SCCS_vision_codex); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: restricted, max Subject to Annex III concentration and purity conditions; GHS signal word DANGER. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in industrial chemical safety and pharmaceutical data.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 111-46-6 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
Diethylene Glycol is classified GHS Danger (H302, H361, H372) in the chemicals database but is restricted in EU cosmetics at max Subject to Annex III concentration and purity conditions.
Source: Cosmetics: ingredients.eu_status/eu_max; Chemicals: ghs_classifications.signal_word/hazard_statement_code
Function
Solvent, Viscosity Controlling
Safety Rating
POOR
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
2-(2-hydroxyethoxy)ethanol
InChIKey
MTHSVFCYNBDYFN-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
restricted
EU Max Conc.
Subject to Annex III concentration and purity conditions
US US Status
restricted
US Notes
FDA issued Import Alert IA6674 to block DEG-containing toothpaste and developed GC-MS screening method for DEG at >=0.1% w/w. Primarily regulated as a contaminant and adulterant risk in glycerin and PEG-based raw materials.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Diethylene Glycol.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Toxicological Studies
10 study endpoints found for Diethylene Glycol. NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) values are used to calculate the Margin of Safety per SCCS methodology.
| Endpoint | Value | Route | Species | Study Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOAEL | =1.6 mg/kg bw/day | dermal | - | NOAEL study | SCCS_vision_codex |
| NOAEL | =1.6 mg/kg bw/day | dermal | - | NOAEL study | SCCS_vision_codex |
| NOAEL | =1.6 mg/kg bw/day | dermal | - | NOAEL study | SCCS_vision_codex |
| NOAEL | =1.6 mg/kg bw/day | dermal | - | NOAEL study | SCCS_vision_codex |
| NOAEL | =50 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | NOAEL study | SCCS_vision_codex |
| NOAEL | =50 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | NOAEL study | SCCS_vision_codex |
| NOAEL | =50 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | NOAEL study | SCCS_vision_codex |
| NOAEL | =50 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | NOAEL study | SCCS_vision_codex |
| NOAEL | =200 mg/kg/day | - | rat | NOAEL study | SCCS_vision_codex |
| NOAEL | =200 mg/kg bw/day | - | rat | genotoxicity | SCCS_vision_codex |
GHS Hazard Classification
Globally Harmonized System classification per ECHA C&L inventory and ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Cards.
Signal Word
DANGER
Pictograms
Excl markWarnCancerHealth haz
Hazard Statements
Harmful if swallowed Causes damage to kidneys if swallowed May cause drowsiness and dizziness
Short-term Exposure Effects
The substance may cause effects on the kidneys. This may result in kidney impairment. Ingestion could cause effects on the central nervous system and liver. Ingestion could cause death.
Routes of Exposure
The substance can be absorbed into the body by ingestion.
EPA ToxValDB — Toxicity Values
6 toxicity values from EPA ToxValDB (aggregated from CCTE, HPV, ToxRefDB, IRIS, and other regulatory dossiers).
| Endpoint | Value | Species | Route | Duration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEL | =69445.6 mg/m3 | Human | inhalation | - | DOE Protective Action Criteria |
| LD50 | =7800 mg/kg | Guinea Pig | oral | - | ChemIDplus |
| LD50 | =23700 mg/kg | Mouse | oral | - | ChemIDplus |
| LD50 | =4400 mg/kg | Rabbit | oral | - | ChemIDplus |
| LD50 | =11890 mg/kg | Rabbit | dermal | - | ChemIDplus |
| LD50 | =12565 mg/kg | Rat | oral | - | ChemIDplus |
EU CLP Annex VI Harmonized Classification
Legally binding harmonized classification per Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP) Annex VI.
Signal Word
Warning
Pictograms
Harmful / Irritant
Hazard Class and Category
Acute Tox. 4 *
Hazard Statements
- H302 Harmful if swallowed
Inserted via ATP: CLP00
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
100,000 - 1,000,000 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
Hazard classification: Restricted (Annex XVII)
EU CosIng Annex Listing
European Commission CosIng database Annex references per Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009.
Annex II — Prohibited
Ref: 1370
(EC) 2013/344
Expanded Jurisdictional Detail
Additional regulatory detail beyond the 7-jurisdiction summary: Saudi SFDA, Korea MFDS, ASEAN ACD, Japan/Korea, Brazil/India, and cross-jurisdictional restriction entries.
SA Saudi SFDA (II - Prohibited)
ASEAN Cosmetic Directive (II)
Ref: A1140
JPKR Japan/Korea Cosmetics
Japan (Restricted): ; Category: General
BRIN Brazil/India Cosmetics
Brazil: Prohibited
Brazil: Restricted
India: Prohibited (GNRAS)
Additional Jurisdictional Restrictions (5)
| Jurisdiction | Status | Max % | Product Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP | restricted | - | Prohibited in toothpaste |
| CN | banned | - | - |
| BR | restricted | 0.1 | As impurity trace only in other cosmetic ingredients; 0.1% max |
| ASEAN | banned | - | All cosmetic products prohibited |
| ASEAN | restricted | ≤0.1% as unavoidable trace | All cosmetic products |
Expanded Dermal Absorption Data
Cross-database dermal penetration: EPA Dryad physics-based, Roberts Mendeley permeation, and SCCS-aggregated measured values.
Aggregated DA Values (2 records across 5 sources)
| Type | DA % | Method | Skin Model | SCCS Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| measured | 10.0% | - | - | SCCP/0139 |
| measured | 100.0% | in_vitro | - | SCCP/0139 |
Additional Ingredient Properties
1 property record from structured ingredient metadata.
humectant
{"cas_number": "111-46-6", "ingredient_class": "humectant/polyol", "molecular_weight_Da": "106.12", "chemical_type": "polyol", "water_binding_mechanism": "hydrogen_bonding/hygroscopic", "water_holding_capacity_g_per_g": "0.4-0.6", "hygroscopicity_at_50_RH": "good", "hygroscopicity_at_80_RH": "excellent", "NMF_component": "no", "NMF_percentage_natural": "0", "TEWL_reduction_pct": "12-20", "skin_hyd…
PubChem Annotations
Safety and regulatory annotations from PubChem (NCBI) aggregated sources.
Safety (2)
ICSC Safety Card
0619
Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
Skin Eye Respiratory Irritation
... It is not appreciably irritating to the eyes or skin ... | An eye and human skin irritant.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Regulatory (1)
JECFA Evaluation
DIETHYLENE GLYCOL | 1979 | NOT TO BE USED | TRS 648-JECFA 23/16 | NOT PREPARED
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Binder
Catalyst
Deodorizer
Emulsifier
Fragrance
Lubricating agent
Monomers
No specific technical function
Plasticizer
Processing aids not otherwise specified
Regulatory List Membership (4)
EU Banned in Cosmetics
IFRA Fragrance Transparency List
FDA Indirect Food Contact Additives
EU CosIng Cosmetics Ingredient Database
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Diethylene Glycol.
Regulatory Flags
restricted-eu
prohibited-china
prohibited-canada
contaminant-risk
renal-toxicant
never-formulate
annex-iii
poisoning-incidents
endocrine_disruptor
eu_banned_cosmetics
ifra_fragrance
eu_cosing_listed
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Diethylene Glycol by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
28
Lowest NOAEL
1.6
Highest NOAEL
1118
Units vary across source rows: mg/kg bw/day, mg/kg/day
SCCS_vision_codex
Dermal Absorption
View details ->| Absorption % | Method | Vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| 10.0% | - | - |
| 100.0% | in_vitro | - |
Known Synonyms
Ethanol, 2,2'-oxybis-
2-Hydroxyethyl ether
2,2'-0xydiethanol
4-01-00-02390
Bis(beta-hydroxyethyl) ether
BRN 0969209
Caswell No. 338A
EINECS 203-872-2
EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 338200
Ethanol, 2,2'-oxydi-
Glycol ether
Glycol ethyl ether
UNII-61BR964293
Diethylenglykol
beta,beta'-dihydroxydiethyl ether
Chemical Function
Emulsifier
Solvent
Deodorizer
Fragrance
Viscosity modifier
Binder
Regulatory Lists
Europe; Personal care; restricted
detected; Europe; Toys and children's products
artificial_saliva; detected; emissions; Europe; Toys and children's products
Arts and crafts/Office supplies - general arts and crafts supplies - arts and crafts paint; Europe
drinking_water; Europe; manufacturing; plastic_additive
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
Cross-Vertical Safety Context
Same-CAS public records found in pharmaceutical data.
SOURCE
ChEMBL / DrugCentral / FAERS
DB_PHARMA CAS match
Pharmaceutical Data
Same-CAS rows from the pharmaceutical spoke database.
Compound
DI(HYDROXYETHYL)ETHER
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL1235226
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Diethylene Glycol allowed in the EU?
Diethylene Glycol EU regulatory status: restricted. Maximum allowed concentration: Subject to Annex III concentration and purity conditions. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Diethylene Glycol do in cosmetics?
Diethylene Glycol functions as: Solvent, Viscosity Controlling. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 111-46-6.
What is the NOAEL for Diethylene Glycol?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Diethylene Glycol is =1.6 mg/kg bw/day based on a NOAEL study study via dermal route in rat. A total of 10 study endpoints are available. Source: SCCS_vision_codex.
Is Diethylene Glycol classified as hazardous under GHS?
Diethylene Glycol carries a GHS signal word of "DANGER". Hazard statements: Harmful if swallowed Causes damage to kidneys if swallowed May cause drowsiness and dizziness. This classification is based on the ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Card and ECHA C&L inventory data. Note: GHS classification applies to the pure substance — at cosmetic use concentrations, hazard thresholds may not be met.
Is Diethylene Glycol used outside cosmetics?
Diethylene Glycol also appears in industrial chemical safety and pharmaceutical data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Does Diethylene Glycol have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
Diethylene Glycol is classified GHS Danger (H302, H361, H372) in the chemicals database but is restricted in EU cosmetics at max Subject to Annex III concentration and purity conditions.
Compliance Tools
Check Diethylene Glycol compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
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82 Allergen Checker
Check for EU declarable fragrance allergens
Substance Compliance
Check compliance across multiple jurisdictions
MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
Heavy Metal Limits
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