Hexylene glycol on your skin: a safety profile

What is hexylene glycol?

The IUPAC name is 2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol.

Also known as: 2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol, 4-methyl-3-hexane-1,2-diol, hexyl glycol, 2-Pentanone.

IUPAC name

2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol

CAS number

107-41-5

Molecular formula

C6H14O2

Molecular weight

118.17 g/mol

SMILES

CCCC(=O)C

PubChem CID

7895

Regulatory consensus

2 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Hexylene glycol. The classifications differ — that's the data.

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 you encounter hexylene glycol

• cosmetics
• personal care products
• industrial coatings
• cleaning products

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Hexylene glycol:

• Glycerin (plant-derived) — gold standard humectant, excellent safety profile
  Trade-offs: Consumer preference for 'natural' label; many natural fragrance compounds are potent allergens (limonene, linalool, eugenol); 'natural' ≠ 'safe'; often more expensive than synthetic equivalents.
  Relative cost: 2-5× conventional
• Hyaluronic acid — naturally occurring, very low sensitization potential
  Trade-offs: Removes 95-99% of dissolved contaminants including metals, PFAS, nitrates; wastes 2-4 gallons per gallon produced (improving with newer systems); removes beneficial minerals; $0.05-0.25/gallon; requires pre-treatment for longevity.
  Relative cost: 2-5× conventional
• Panthenol (provitamin B5) — well-tolerated, additional skin-soothing properties
  Trade-offs: Removes 95-99% of dissolved contaminants including metals, PFAS, nitrates; wastes 2-4 gallons per gallon produced (improving with newer systems); removes beneficial minerals; $0.05-0.25/gallon; requires pre-treatment for longevity.
  Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions