I was first introduced to Propylene Glycol by a roommate who was an esthetician. She claimed the only good quality skin care products had it as one of the top 5 ingredients. (I've never been able to prove that by the way.) Being aware of propylene glycol as a cosmetic base, I was quite surprised to be looking at the list of ingredients on a container of store bought ice cream and Propylene Glycol was on the list! My range of emotions went from shock, confusion, panic, and anger. I was also grossed out to think that a chemical in my face wash, lotions, hair products, etc is also in our family ice cream. I began a rampant search on the internet about Propylene Glycol to figure out what this mysterious murader was doing all over the place. I combed through the Propylene Glycol haters who would burng it at the stake if they could. Then there are the companies who benefit from the cheap filler and not only defend it but promote it. Here is what I learned:
What is Propylene Glycol:
At it's most basic level it's a conditioning agent, emulsifying agent, solvent, lubricant, cooling agent,
Common uses:
-As a humectant food additive
-As a base in de-icing solutions
-Considered a "less toxic" anti-freeze
-In hand sanitizers, antibacterial lotions, and saline solutions
-As a lubricant in air conditioning compressors
-As a coolant in liquid cooling systems
-A main ingredient in deodorant sticks
-As a moisturizer in medicines, cosmetics, food, toothpaste, shampoo, mouth wash, hair care, and tobacco products
-As a solvent in many pharmaceuticals, including oral, injectable, and topical formulations
Why you should avoid it:
Propylene Glycol enhances the properties of some of the other scary chemicals it is usually combined with. When used on the skin, it acts as a carrier for other chemicals, bringing them into your skin and directly to your bloodstream. It's scary that something classified as an anti-freeze can be in our food and our cosmetic AND cleaning products. Propylene Glycol has been linked to immune system disruption, as well as a disruptor to the respiratory system. As well as a toxin neurologically and reproductively. Lastly it has been linked to contact dermatitis. These different links to health problems were discovered in rats, cats, and dogs. It's illegal to actually include this in cat food, because it will kill them. For those reseach dependent, there are many studies done on animals that show disastrous results.
The more I learned, the more I wanted to make sure I used products that were Propylene Glycol free, and it wasn't too hard. Which begs the question, if a quality product can be made with out the use of it, why use it at all? The answer of course is the money. The cheaper a company can make a product and the longer they can extend it's shelf life, the longer the company can store it on the store shelves and the more opportunities for selling the product. I have chosen to personally avoid all shampoos, conditioners, soaps, make-up, etc with propylene glycol in it. I especially pass on ALL food containing propylene glycol. This is where you have to be ingredient savy.
For some of the wholesale store fans, a little word to the wise: I recently discovered at a family member's birthday party, that a certain chocolate cake sold at a local wholesale store containts propylene glycol. Just FYI. ;) Happy Shopping!
As I have said, there is research to support both sides of this argument. However, there is no argument FOR Propylene Glycol. The highly contested argument is whether or not it will cause harm. Despite all the studies for both camps, one thing is agreed upon and that is it is not recomended for human consumption. It won't be making Dr. Oz's list of top ten supplements any time soon for example. I prefer to play it safe, and avoid propylene glycol for myself and my family.
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/wordsearch.php?atatime=50&query=propylene%20glycol&&start=50
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