skincarecheck
INCI ingredient

Propylene Carbonate

Also listed as: Propylène Carbonate

A solvent that helps clays and gels swell, used in small amounts in deodorants and makeup.

What it triggers

  • Vegan originYesno animal source
  • FragranceNonot a perfume ingredient
  • ParabenNonot a preservative of this family
  • SulfateNonot a sulfate surfactant
  • SiliconeNonot a silicone
  • AlcoholNonot a drying alcohol

What it does

Propylene carbonate is a clear synthetic liquid. Its main job is to activate thickening clays such as disteardimonium hectorite so they build a stable gel; it also dissolves fragrance and other ingredients.

CosIng lists it as solvent and viscosity controlling. It is synthetic and affects none of the six checks; it is not one of the alcohols the alcohol-free check looks for.

Functions: solvent, viscosity controlling

Products with Propylene Carbonate

in 346 products

Showing 24 of 346 products with this ingredient, most scanned first.

In the EU ingredient database

Functions listed by CosIng
  • solvent
  • viscosity controlling
  • solvent: Dissolving other components of cosmetics. Solvents are usually liquids (aqueous and nonaqueous).
  • viscosity controlling: Increasing or decreasing the viscosity (thickness) of cosmetics.

CAS 108-32-7 · EC 203-572-1

EU regulation

Not on a restricted-substances annex. Listed as an allowed cosmetic ingredient.

Source: CosIng, European Commission. Informative, no legal value; the regulation text is the reference.

Classification from the INCI name; product lists from Open Beauty Facts.Report a mistake