Disliked
Pentylene Glycol
Helps with Barrier Repair
Some ingredients support barrier repair by reinforcing your skin’s protective layer, locking in moisture, and defending against irritation and environmental stress.
Explained
Pentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
- It's a humectant that helps pull water into the skin and hold it there.
- It's a solvent that helps dissolve and evenly disperse other ingredients throughout a formula (this also improves texture and stability).
- It's a preservative booster.
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
See all 17,748 products with Pentylene Glycol
Users who like it
36%
Users who avoid it
64%
What it does
Skin Conditioning
To hydrate and soften skin
Solvent
Capable of dissolving another substance.
Prevalence
Somewhat common
Percentage of products that contain it
13.5%
Top categories
Treatments
Moisturizers
Cleansers
Position
Predominant list placement
Top 25%
Concentration
Concentrations we've seen
0% to
1%
References
CosIng Data
CosIng ID
58983
INCI Name
PENTYLENE GLYCOL
EC #
226-285-3
All Functions
Skin Conditioning, Solvent
