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Is Phenoxyethanol Curly Girl Approved?

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Is Phenoxyethanol Curly Girl Approved? Phenoxyethanol is a preservative which is added to hair care products to prevent the growth of micro-organisms. Phenoxyethanol is approved for the Curly Girl Method as it won’t damage or harm curly hair.

There are however other reasons that you may want to avoid Phenoxyethanol. In this post I look at what Phenoxyethanol is, whether it’s suitable for curly hair, and the benefits of having it in your hair care product.

Is Phenoxyethanol Curly Girl Approved?

Is Phenoxyethanol Curly Girl Approved?

What is Phenoxyethanol?

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative which is used to stabilise personal care products. It’s also used in some vaccines to prevent the vaccine from deteriorating too quickly.

Phenoxyethanol could be listed in the ingredients of your cosmetics or hair care products under a number of different names including:

  • phenoxyethanol
  • ethylene glycol monophenyl ether
  • 2-Phenoxyethanol
  • PhE
  • dowanol
  • arosol
  • phenoxetol
  • rose ether
  • phenoxyethyl alcohol
  • beta-hydroxyethyl phenyl ether
  • euxyl K® 400, a mixture of Phenoxyethanol and 1,2-dibromo-2,4-dicyanobutane

Is Phenoxyethanol Allowed in the Curly Girl Method?

Yes. Phenoxyethanol is not mentioned in Curly Girl the Handbook, therefore products containing this ingredients are allowed if you are following the CG method.

The book does however advise you to steer clear of products that contain parabens. Like phenoxyethanol, parabens are preservatives that are used in cosmetics to prevent the growth of bacteria.

Parabens became controversial after studies showed that they could disrupt hormones in the body, harm fertility, increase the risk of cancer, and cause skin irritation.

Phenoxyenthanol has since become the most commonly used alternative to parabens, but it’s still not without its drawbacks.

If you have sensitive skin or eczema, it is advised that you avoid this ingredient. There have also been cases of people having allergic reactions due to phenoxyethanol.

Phenoxyethanol Hair benefits

Phenoxyethanol does not have any benefits for the hair or skin. It is a useful ingredient in hair products because it prevents the growth of bacteria and increases the product’s shelf life, but it won’t help your hair directly in anyway.

Phenoxyethanol for Hair Growth

There seems to be a myth on the Internet that Phenoxyenthanol is linked to either hair growth or hair loss. The ingredient will prevent the growth of bacteria, fungi and yeast in your hair care products, but it certainly won’t prevent or encourage the growth of your hair.

There has been controversy about other preservatives used in hair care products like formaldehyde or dmdm hydantoin, with suggestions that they cause hair loss, but there is no research to back up these claims.

The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) has never listed any shampoo ingredients as a common cause of hair loss, and there is no evidence that Phenoxyenthanol causes hair loss or hair growth.

Which Brands Make CG Approved Products?

You can find a list of curly girl approved products, from different brands, at the links below. I hope this information helps you find the right CG approved products for your own hair.

Posts From Other Beauty Blogs

If you found this article helpful, you may enjoy the following posts from other beauty blogs that I follow and trust.

Naturally Curly

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Is Phenoxyethanol Curly Girl Approved?