Triethylhexanoin on your skin: a safety profile

What is triethylhexanoin?

The IUPAC name is glyceryl triethylhexanoate.

Also known as: glyceryl triethylhexanoate, triglyceride of 2-ethylhexanoic acid, 2,6-Diiodo-4-nitrophenol, Phenol, 2,6-diiodo-4-nitro-.

IUPAC name

glyceryl triethylhexanoate

CAS number

2046-18-6

Molecular formula

C27H52O4

Molecular weight

440.72 g/mol

SMILES

C1=C(C=C(C(=C1I)O)I)[N+](=O)[O-]

PubChem CID

9370

Regulatory consensus

2 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Triethylhexanoin. 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 triethylhexanoin

• facial_moisturizer
• premium_sunscreen
• body_lotion
• cosmetic_oils

Safer alternatives

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

• Plant-derived oils with established safety profiles (jojoba, squalane, shea butter)
  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
• Ceramide-based formulations (biomimetic skin barrier repair)
  Trade-offs: Alternative emollient; skin feel, spreadability, and occlusion properties differ; comedogenicity should be assessed for facial use; stability in final formulation needs verification.
  Relative cost: 1.2-2×
• Glycerin-based humectant systems as partial replacement
  Trade-offs: Direct chemical substitution requires verification that the replacement does not introduce new hazards (regrettable substitution). Conduct full hazard assessment of proposed alternative before adoption.
  Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions