ETHOXYETHANOL
Official label name (INCIInternational name of cosmetic ingredients: the one printed on the pack. name, EU glossary of cosmetic ingredient names), No 10008
- Prohibited in cosmetics (Annex II)
ETHOXYETHANOL: Prohibited in cosmetics (Annex II, entry 666), under Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009. Annexes of the Regulation consulted on 23 October 2026.
Who it concerns
This ingredient is prohibited in cosmetics in the European Union: what follows describes its hazards, not a permitted use.
What official classifications and rules say for each group. A classification describes the hazard of the pure substance, not the risk of a product that contains it, which depends on the dose and the exposure.
Prohibition or serious classificationThe text prohibits the substance for this use, or ranks it among the most serious hazards (known or presumed carcinogenic, mutagenic or reprotoxic, identified endocrine disruptor).Worth watchingThe text sets a condition or flags a hazard worth knowing: allergen, suspected effect, condition for children, hazard to the aquatic environment.For informationOfficial information with no condition on a finished product: warning to read, irritation of the pure substance.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Prohibited in cosmetics in the European Union for everyone, whatever the age or situation: no specific condition is therefore needed for this group.
Babies and children
Prohibited in cosmetics in the European Union for everyone, whatever the age or situation: no specific condition is therefore needed for this group.
Skin, eyes and allergies
No harmonised classification for sensitisation, irritation or eye damage, and no obligation to label it as an allergen.
Environment
No harmonised classification as hazardous to the aquatic environment, and it is not on ECHAEuropean Chemicals Agency.'s Candidate List as an endocrine disruptor for the environment.
Read on the label
The Cosmetics Regulation requires no warning to be printed for this ingredient.
In plain words
What it is used for
Functions declared by manufacturers:
Solvent: dissolves other substances.
Viscosity controlling: increases or decreases the viscosity of cosmetics.
Functions declared in the CosIngThe European Commission's database of cosmetic ingredients. inventory. CosIng, inventory of cosmetic ingredients (INCI names, CAS, EC, functions), retrieved 21 October 2026.
Definitions of functions (decision repealed on 8 May 2020, cited for information). Decision 2006/257/EC, inventory of cosmetic ingredients (definitions of functions), retrieved 22 October 2026.
What the rules say
It is prohibited to use it in a cosmetic product sold in the European Union, whatever the dose. If it appears on the ingredient list of a recent product, this needs checking: the record may be old or wrong, or the product intended for another market.
CosIng, Annex II of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 (prohibited substances), retrieved 23 October 2026, source updated 13 October 2026.
The text of the annexes
Prohibited in cosmetics
CosIng links the name ETHOXYETHANOL to this Annex II entry.
- Entry
- Annex II, No 666
- Substance
- 2-Ethoxyethanol and its acetate (2-Ethoxyethyl acetate)
- CAS
- 110-80-5 / 111-15-9
- EC
- 203-804-1 / 203-839-2
Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Annex II, entry 666. CosIng, Annex II of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 (prohibited substances), retrieved 23 October 2026, source updated 13 October 2026.
Entry from Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, adopted on 30 November 2009.
SCCSEU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety: it assesses cosmetic ingredients. opinions cited: Opinion concerning Ethoxyethanol, Ethoxyethanol acetate, 2-Methoxyethanol and 2-Methoxyethanol acetate (Glycol ethers and their acetates); Opinion concerning Chemical Ingredients in Cosmetic Products classified as Carcinogenic, Mutagenic or Toxic to Reproduction according to the Chemicals Directive 67/548/EECC; Opinion concerning Chemical Ingredients in Cosmetic Products classified as Carcinogenic, Mutagenic or Toxic to Reproduction according to the Chemicals Directive 67/548/EEC.
What has changed, and what will change
Dates of the texts that cover this ingredient. A text date may cover several substances: the details of each entry are below.
Annex II, entry 666: introduced or replaced by Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009
Annex II, entry 666: applies from this date
Identity
- CosIng identifier
- 84566
- CAS (according to CosIng)
- 110-80-5
- EC (according to CosIng)
- 203-804-1
- Declared functions
- Solvent, Viscosity controlling
CosIng inventory. CosIng, inventory of cosmetic ingredients (INCI names, CAS, EC, functions), retrieved 21 October 2026.
Elsewhere in the world
Information on other jurisdictions, with no effect on sale in France. What is covered, and what is not yet.
Comparison between countries
Most restrictive status in each country, and the maximum concentration cited. The details and the source of each rule follow.
| Country | Rule | Maximum concentration cited |
|---|---|---|
| European Union | Prohibited in cosmetics | not cited |
| United Kingdom | Prohibited in cosmetics | not cited |
| Switzerland | EU Regulation applies | not cited |
| United States (federal) | No federal rule recorded | not cited |
| Japan | No entry in the lists recorded | not cited |
| South Korea | Prohibited | not cited |
| China | Prohibited | not cited |
| Australia | No entry in the lists recorded | not cited |
| Brazil | Prohibited | not cited |
United Kingdom (Great Britain)
- Prohibited in cosmetics (Annex II)
Same entries as in the European Union. Their maximum concentrations are compared in the “Comparison between countries” table; other conditions (product types, warnings) may differ.
Annexes II to VI in force. United Kingdom, Annexes II to VI of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 as retained and amended, retrieved 21 October 2026.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Northern Ireland applies EU law.
Switzerland
Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 applies in Switzerland (Article 54 of the Ordinance on Foodstuffs and Utility Articles).
Switzerland, FDHA Ordinance on Cosmetic Products (OCos, SR 817.023.31), consolidated version, retrieved 22 October 2026.
United States, federal rules
None of the integrated sections of the federal code (21 CFR 700.11 to 700.27 and 250.250) targets this name. The FDA does not publish a list of allowed ingredients.
United States, 21 CFR part 700 and section 250.250 (FDA rules on cosmetic ingredients), eCFR, retrieved 21 October 2026.
The eCFR is not an official legal edition of the Code of Federal Regulations.
South Korea
- Prohibited: 2-에톡시에탄올(에칠렌글리콜 모노에칠에텔, EGMEE)
별표 1 (prohibited substances), entry 615, page 33.
South Korea, MFDS Regulation on Safety Standards for Cosmetics, Notification 2026-19, retrieved 22 October 2026.
Source: 식품의약품안전처 (MFDS), 화장품 안전기준 등에 관한 규정, via law.go.kr; table formatted by the publisher of this site.
China
- Prohibited: 2-乙氧基乙醇及其乙酸酯 (2-Ethoxyethanol and its acetate （2-Ethoxyethyl acetate） （CAS No.110-80-5 / CAS No. 111-15-9）)
表1 化妆品禁用原料目录 (prohibited substances, 2021年第74号), entry 111, page 附件2 (.doc) table row 111 ; TID reprint p.6.
China, NMPA catalogues of prohibited cosmetic ingredients (2021 No. 74, revised up to 2026), retrieved 22 October 2026.
Source: 国家药品监督管理局 (NMPA); plant catalogue as reprinted by the Trade and Industry Department of Hong Kong; table formatted by the publisher of this site.
Brazil
- Prohibited: 2-Etoxietanol e seu acetato
RDC 529/2021, Anexo (prohibited substances), entry 666, page 23;24.
Conditions, source text, in Portuguese
N° UE: 666
Brazil, ANVISA resolutions RDC 529/2021, 528/2021, 600/2022 and 628/2022, retrieved 22 October 2026.
Source: ANVISA. Text of the adopted draft resolutions, as the Official Journal could not be accessed; the 2021 lists of prohibited substances and preservatives were compared with the copy of the published text distributed by the State of Paraná, the 2022 lists of UV filters and colorants were not.
Glossary: Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1175. Page updated on 23 October 2026.