Compoatlas

METHOXYETHANOL (ethylene glycol monomethyl ether)

Official label name (INCI name, EU glossary of cosmetic ingredient names), No 16425

METHOXYETHANOL (ethylene glycol monomethyl ether): Prohibited in cosmetics (Annex II, entry 665), under Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009.

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.

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.

Hazard and risk

The CLP Regulation classifies this substance as toxic for reproduction, category 1B (presumed effect, established mainly from animal studies).

This classification describes what the substance can cause (a hazard), not what happens when using a product (a risk): the risk depends on the dose, the form and the route of exposure (skin, inhalation, ingestion).

Already prohibited in cosmetics (Annex II).

The text of the annexes

Prohibited in cosmetics

CosIng links the name METHOXYETHANOL to this Annex II entry.

Entry
Annex II, No 665
Substance
2-Methoxyethanol [1] and its acetate (2-Methoxyethyl acetate) [2]
CAS
109-86-4 [1] / 110-49-6 [2]
EC
203-713-7 [1] / 203-772-9 [2]
CMR
Reprotoxic Cat. 1B()
Dates in the act (10)
  • Entry into force on 11 January 2010
  • Application from 1 December 2010
    It shall apply from 11 July 2013, with the exception of: — Article 15(1) and (2) which shall apply from 1 December 2010, as well as Articles 14, 31 and 32 to the extent that they are necessary to apply Article 15(1) and (2); and — Article 16(3) second subparagraph, which shall apply from 11 January 2013.
  • Entry into force on 1 December 2010
  • Condition applicable from 11 January 2012
    As from 11 January 2012, by way of derogation from Directive 76/768/EEC, notification carried out in accordance with Article 13 of this Regulation shall be considered to comply with Article 7(3) and Article 7a(4) of that Directive
  • Application from 11 January 2013
    July 2013, with the exception of: — Article 15(1) and (2) which shall apply from 1 December 2010, as well as Articles 14, 31 and 32 to the extent that they are necessary to apply Article 15(1) and (2); and — Article 16(3) second subparagraph, which shall apply from 11 January 2013.
  • Entry into force on 11 January 2013
  • Application from 11 July 2013
    It shall apply from 11 July 2013, with the exception of: — Article 15(1) and (2) which shall apply from 1 December 2010, as well as Articles 14, 31 and 32 to the extent that they are necessary to apply Article 15(1) and (2); and — Article 16(3) second subparagraph, which shall appl
  • Entry into force on 11 July 2013
  • Placing on the market before 11 July 2013
    Article 39 Transitional provisions By way of derogation from Directive 76/768/EEC, cosmetic products which comply with this Regulation may be placed on the market before 11 July 2013.
  • Placing on the market from 11 July 2013
    As from 11 July 2013, a distributor who makes available in a Member State a cosmetic product already placed on the market in another Member State and translates, on his own initiative, any element of the labelling of that product in order to comply with national law, shall submit, by electronic means, the following info

Excerpts from the English text published in the Official Journal. A date may concern only some substances of the act: the excerpt says so.

Identity

CosIng identifier
96276
CAS (according to CosIng)
109-86-4
EC (according to CosIng)
203-713-7
Declared functions
Solvent, Viscosity controlling
Wikidata
Q903362
PubChem
8019
ECHA InfoCard
100.003.377
InChIKey
XNWFRZJHXBZDAG-UHFFFAOYSA-N

Classified hazard (CLP Regulation)

A classification describes an intrinsic hazard, not a risk: the risk depends on the dose, the form and the exposure.

2-methoxyethanol; ethylene glycol monomethyl ether

CMR Repr. 1B

Hazard classes
Flam. Liq. 3
Repr. 1B
Acute Tox. 4 *
Acute Tox. 4 *
Acute Tox. 4 *
Hazard statements
H226 H360FD H332 H312 H302

Already prohibited in cosmetics (Annex II).

Elsewhere in the world

Information on other jurisdictions. What is covered, and what is not yet.

United Kingdom (Great Britain)

  • Prohibited in cosmetics (Annex II)

Same entries as in the European Union. Conditions (concentrations, warnings) may differ: they are not compared here.

Switzerland

Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 applies in Switzerland (Article 54 of the Ordinance on Foodstuffs and Utility Articles).

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.

South Korea

  • Prohibited: 2-메톡시에탄올(에칠렌글리콜 모노메칠에텔, EGMME)

    별표 1 (prohibited substances), entry 291, page 15.

China

  • Prohibited: 2-甲氧基乙醇及其乙酸酯 (2-Methoxyethanol and its acetate （2-Methoxyethyl acetate） （CAS No.109-86-4 / CAS No. 110-49-6 ）)

    表1 化妆品禁用原料目录 (prohibited substances, 2021年第74号), entry 116, page 附件2 (.doc) table row 116 ; TID reprint p.6.

Brazil

  • Prohibited: 2-Metoxietanol e seu acetato

    RDC 529/2021, Anexo (prohibited substances), entry 665, page 23. Conditions (source text, in Portuguese): N° UE: 665

Glossary: Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1175. Page updated on 21 October 2026.