What does 1-Butoxy-2-propanol do?

Used in cosmetics as a humectant, a solvent and a thickener.

Is 1-Butoxy-2-propanol safe?

We haven't assessed a concern score for this ingredient yet. It is listed for cosmetic use in the EU.

beauty
cleaning
industrial

1-Butoxy-2-propanol

CAS 5131-66-8

Concern score

Not assessed — no hazard data yet.

1-Butoxy-2-propanol in plain language

What it is: On cosmetic ingredient lists it appears as “Propylene glycol butyl ether”.
Also known as Propylene glycol butyl ether · Propylene glycol 1-BUTYL ether · n-Butoxy-2-propanol · 1,2-PROPYLENE glycol 1-MONOBUTYL ether · 1-Butoxypropan-2-ol · Solvenon pnb
Show all 22 names
1-METHYL-3-OXA-1-HEPTANOL · 1-butoxipropan-2-ol · 2-HYDROXY-3-BUTOXYPROPANE · 2-Propanol, 1-butoxy-; 1-butoxypropan-2-ol · 2-propanol, 1-butoxi · 3-Butoxy-2-propanol · 3-Butoxypropan-2-Ol · Ec 225-878-4 · Propanol, 1(or 2)-butoxy- · Propasol solvent B · Propylene Glycol 1-Monobutyl Ether · Propylene Glycol n-Butyl Ether · UNII-K0MR13CZ2E · glycol ethers · n-butoxypropanol · α-propylene glycol 1-butyl ether
What it does: Used in cosmetics as a humectant, a solvent and a thickener.
Humectant
Solvent
Viscosity controlling
Surfactant
Thickener
Film former
Is it a concern?: We haven't assessed a concern score for this ingredient yet. It is listed for cosmetic use in the EU.

Regulation

No restrictions found. 1-Butoxy-2-propanol appears in these published regulatory listings.

Recorded in these product areas

Found in consumer products
Beauty
Cleaning
Industrial

EUCosIngActiveListed in CosIng inventory for cosmetic use.
- Listed in CosIng inventory for cosmetic use.Source →
USEPAcommercial use observedEPA CPDat observed this chemical in 594 composition records across product categories including Construction and building materials, Industrial products, Home maintenance. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Solvent, Humectant, Viscosity modifier.
- EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 594 composition records across product categories including Construction and building materials, Industrial products, Home maintenance. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Solvent, Humectant, Viscosity modifier.Source →
USFDAlisted in openFDA substanceopenFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as chemical.
- openFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as chemical.Source →

Expert safety opinions

No expert opinion on file for 1-Butoxy-2-propanol. These are the independent scientific bodies that assess ingredients like this one; we show an opinion only when a record we hold cites it.

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.

Evidence & sources

No graded research studies for 1-Butoxy-2-propanol yet. This record is compiled from the published data sources below — registries and regulatory listings, not study findings.

6 data sources

Where this comes from

CosIng
regulatory · updated 2026-09-23
Open →
EPA Chemical and Products Database
exposure · updated october 15, 2019
Open →
EPA DSSTox Identifiers
chemistry · updated 2025-12-29
Open →
FDA GSRS UNII
registry · updated 2026-02-26
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.

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 1-Butoxy-2-propanol in a product composition. These are source records, not Greenveil catalog products.

Source records

594

Named organisations

Construction and building materialsIndustrial productsHome maintenanceCleaning products and household carePersonal careCleaning and safety

Typical roles

HumectantSolventViscosity controllingSurfactantThickenerFilm former

See products using 1-Butoxy-2-propanol →

Catalog

Found in these products

Cosmetic and personal-care products that list 1-Butoxy-2-propanol are shown first. Their ingredient lists include 1-Butoxy-2-propanol; each product's own rating depends on its whole formula, so it is shown on the product page, not here.

See all 6 →Find products without it →