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Propylene Glycol

What Propylene Glycol is & what it does

A humectant and solvent that draws in water and helps dissolve and deliver other ingredients, improving texture and absorption. It is effective and inexpensive but can be sensitizing for a small number of people.

What is Propylene Glycol and what does it do in sunscreen?

Propylene Glycol is a humectant and solvent. In a sunscreen it draws in water to hydrate, and it dissolves and carries other ingredients so they spread evenly and absorb well, improving the overall texture. It is effective and inexpensive, which is why it shows up in so many formulas.

Is Propylene Glycol safe?

Yes, for most people. It is one of the most common and well-studied cosmetic solvents and is generally well tolerated at the levels used in skincare. The main caveat is that a small number of people can find it sensitizing, so anyone with very reactive skin or a known intolerance may prefer to avoid it. For the general user it is considered safe as used.

Does Propylene Glycol clog pores?

Generally no. It is a lightweight, water-loving solvent rather than a pore-clogging oil or wax, so it is considered non-comedogenic. If you are noticing breakouts, the heavier emollients and oils in a formula are the more likely cause.

Why does Propylene Glycol sometimes get a bad reputation?

Mostly because of its name and its use in non-cosmetic products, not because of real-world skin problems. In cosmetics it works as a humectant and solvent at modest levels and is well tolerated by most people. The honest caveat is that it can be sensitizing for a small minority, which is why some sensitive-skin brands choose alternatives.

Is Propylene Glycol natural or synthetic?

It is synthetic, produced industrially rather than harvested from a plant. That is normal for a workhorse solvent and does not affect how gentle or effective it is. Its job is simply to dissolve ingredients and hold water in the formula.

Sunscreens with Propylene Glycol

We rate 1751 sunscreens that contain it, showing the top 10 by overall score:

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