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Diethylene glycol monoethyl ether

CAS 111-90-0 · 90/100 · High conf.

Also registered as 1 other CAS number

149818-01-9

Diethylene glycol monoethyl ether chemical structure

Concern score

90/100Critical concern based on regulatory listings.
High confidence

Diethylene glycol monoethyl ether in plain language

What it is

On cosmetic ingredient lists it appears as “Ethoxydiglycol”.

Also known as Ethoxydiglycol · 2-(2-Ethoxyethoxy)ethanol · 2-(2-Ethoxyethoxy)ethan-1-ol · 1-Hydroxy-3,6-dioxaoctane · 2-(2'-Ethoxyethoxy)ethanol · 2-(2-Ethoxyethoxy) ethanol

Show all 28 names

2-(2-etoxietoxi)etanol · 2-(ethoxyethoxy)ethanol · 3,6-Dioxa-1-octanol · Carbitol · Carbitol cellosolve · Carbitol solvent · Degmee · Diethyleneglycol monoethyl ether · Diethylene glycol ethyl ether · Diglycol monoethyl ether · Dioxitol · Dowanol DE · Ektasolve DE · Ethanol, 2-(2-ethoxyethoxy)- · Ethoxy diglycol · Ethyl carbitol · Ethyl diethylene glycol · Ethyl digol · Losungsmittel apv · Solvolsol · Transcutol · diethylene glycol monoethyl ether/2-(2-ethoxyethoxy)ethanol

What it does

Used in cosmetics as a humectant, a solvent and a fragrance ingredient.

  • Humectant
  • Solvent
  • Perfuming
  • Carrier solvent
  • Emulsifier
  • Thickener
Is it a concern?
Critical concern: no hazard classifications on record. It is restricted in EU cosmetics.

Why it's flagged

2-(2-ethoxyethoxy)ethanol Diethylene Glycol Monoethyl Ether (DEGEE), Ethoxydiglycol is restricted in cosmetic products under Annex III of the EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009.

RestrictedEU EC — restricted

The score describes this ingredient's chemical identity — its hazard profile from published classifications and regulatory status — not the safety of any product it appears in.

Regulation

Restrictions first, then routine listings from published regulatory sources.

  • EU Annex III — restricted
  • EU restricted in cosmetics
  • Inactive ingredient in US drugs
  • In marketed US drugs

Recorded in these product areas

  • Found in consumer products
  • Beauty
  • Cleaning
  • Industrial

  • EUEC

    Annex III of EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009: substances which cosmetic products must not contain except subject to the restrictions laid down. Product types: (a) Oxidative hair day products (b) Non-oxidative hair dye products (c) Rinse-off products other than hair dye products (d) Other non-spray cosmetic products (e) The following spray products: fine fragrances, hair sprays, antiperspirant and deodorant Maximum concentration: (a) 7% (b) 5% (c) 10% (d) 2,6% (e)2,6% Other conditions: (a) to (e): The level of ethylene glycol impurity in Ethoxydiglycol must be ≤ 0,1 %. Not to be used in eye products and oral products

    restricted
    View source →
  • USFDAinactive ingredient database6 entries — 2 administration routes
    • Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: SYSTEM; Maximum daily exposure: 1720 mgSource →
    • Route: TRANSDERMAL; Dosage form: GEL; Maximum daily exposure: 87 mgSource →
    • Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: CREAM; Maximum daily exposure: 1290 mgSource →
    • Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: GEL; Maximum daily exposure: 2500 mgSource →
    • Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: LOTION; Maximum daily exposure: 714 mgSource →
    • Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: OINTMENT; Potency: 5 %w/wSource →
  • EUCosIngActive2 entries
  • GLOBALJECFANO ADI ALLOCATEDJECFA evaluation lists ADI NO ADI ALLOCATED. Functional class: carrier solvent.
    • JECFA evaluation lists ADI NO ADI ALLOCATED. Functional class: carrier solvent.Source →
  • USEPAcommercial use observedEPA CPDat observed this chemical in 1615 composition records across product categories including Raw materials, Cleaning and safety, Specialty occupational products. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Solvent, Humectant, Fragrance.
    • EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 1615 composition records across product categories including Raw materials, Cleaning and safety, Specialty occupational products. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Solvent, Humectant, Fragrance.Source →
  • USFDAmarketed drug occurrenceFDA NDC lists this ingredient in 1 drug products and 1 package presentations.
    • FDA NDC lists this ingredient in 1 drug products and 1 package presentations.Source →
  • USFDAlisted in openFDA substanceopenFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as chemical.
    • openFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as chemical.Source →

Expert safety opinions

Independent scientific assessments cited by the records we hold, with the year and link where the record gives one.

  • SCCS

    EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety

    No SCCS opinion on file.

  • CIR

    Cosmetic Ingredient Review (US expert panel)

    No CIR safety assessment on file.

  • JECFA

    Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives

    • JECFA evaluation lists ADI NO ADI ALLOCATED. Functional class: carrier solvent.

      Year not recorded · GLOBAL JECFA listing · Read the source →

Evidence & sources

No graded research studies for Diethylene glycol monoethyl ether yet. This record is compiled from the published data sources below — registries and regulatory listings, not study findings.

10 data sources

Where this comes from

  • CosIng

    regulatory · updated 2026-09-23

    Open →

  • EU CosIng Cosmetics Regulation Annexes

    regulatory · updated 2018-10-24

    Open →

  • EPA Chemical and Products Database

    exposure · updated june 18, 2019

    Open →

  • EPA DSSTox Identifiers

    chemistry · updated 2025-12-29

    Open →

  • FDA Inactive Ingredient Database

    regulatory · updated 2026-01-09

    Open →

  • FDA National Drug Code Directory

    regulatory · updated 2027-01-13

    Open →

  • FDA GSRS UNII

    registry · updated 2026-02-26

    Open →

  • WHO JECFA Database

    regulatory · updated 2026-10-02

    Open →

  • openFDA Substance

    registry · updated 2026-05-24

    Open →

  • PubChem Live Enrichment

    chemistry · updated 2026-05-17

    Open →

Suitability

Context-specific fit derived from published classifications and the current ingredient evidence profile.

Food use

Food-use source coverage is present in the current record.

Good fit

The ingredient appears in food-oriented source coverage or allowed-use references, which makes food use easier to support than a context with no domain signal at all.

Fragrance avoidance

Not a strong fit for fragrance avoidance because it carries Fragrance.

Avoid

The ingredient itself is a fragrance-linked signal, so it is better treated as an avoid case when fragrance exposure is the main concern.

Where it has been recorded

How often EPA CPDat has listed Diethylene glycol monoethyl ether in a product composition. These are source records, not Greenveil catalog products.

Source records

1,615

Named organisations

6

Raw materialsCleaning and safetySpecialty occupational productsCleaning products and household carePesticidesHome maintenance

Typical roles

HumectantSolventPerfumingCarrier solventEmulsifierThickener
See products using Diethylene glycol monoethyl ether →

Catalog

Found in these products

Cosmetic and personal-care products that list Diethylene glycol monoethyl ether are shown first. Their ingredient lists include Diethylene glycol monoethyl ether; each product's own rating depends on its whole formula, so it is shown on the product page, not here.

See all 57 →Find products without it →