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2-Phenoxyethanol

Q: Is 2-Phenoxyethanol natural or synthetic?

. Extraction: Produced synthetically by the reaction of phenol with ethylene oxide. Entirely industrial. No natural source is commercially relevant. Production is large-scale and cost-effective..

POPULAR AND WEIRD / floral · rosy · balsamic

2-Phenoxyethanol

Category	POPULAR AND WEIRD
Subcategory	floral · rosy · balsamic
Origin
Volatility	Heart Note
Botanical	N/A — synthetic molecule (nature-identical; trace occurrence in green tea, chicory)
Appearance	Colorless, slightly viscous liquid with a faint pleasant aromatic odor
Odor Strength	Medium
Producing Countries	China, Germany, India, United States
Pyramid	Heart

Faintly sweet, rose-like with a clean, slightly medicinal edge. 2-Phenoxyethanol is more preservative than perfume — a functional molecule with a whisper of scent.

Scent
The Full Story
Fun Fact
Extraction & Chemistry
In Perfumery

Scent

Barely perceptible at normal use levels. When concentrated, a faint sweet-floral quality emerges — vaguely rose-like, slightly ether-ish. A mild clinical-clean character underneath. Far less aromatic than most glycols. Not unpleasant, simply quiet. On blotter, it is nearly undetectable after a few minutes.

Evolution over time

Immediately

Barely perceptible. Faint sweet-clinical quality if concentrated.

After a few hours

Essentially odorless at normal concentrations.

After a few days

No olfactory evolution. Functional ingredient only.

The Full Story

CAS 122-99-6. A glycol ether used primarily as a preservative in cosmetics, though it has a faint aromatic character. The scent is mild — slightly sweet, faintly rose-like, with a clean, almost clinical quality. At typical cosmetic use levels (0.5-1%), it is essentially odorless.

In perfumery terms, 2-phenoxyethanol is a functional ingredient rather than a fragrance component. Its mild, inoffensive odor makes it compatible with most fragrance compositions — unlike parabens or other preservatives that can interfere with scent profiles. It is included in glossaries because perfumers encounter it constantly as a formulation ingredient.

The molecule's antimicrobial activity is broad-spectrum, effective against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, and it has become the most common paraben alternative in the cosmetics industry since the mid-2010s.

Explore all seven extraits in the Discovery Set.

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Did You Know?

Did you know?

2-Phenoxyethanol became the dominant cosmetic preservative after a 2004 study raised concerns about parabens mimicking estrogen. By 2020, it had replaced parabens in an estimated 60% of European skincare products — a massive reformulation wave driven by consumer perception rather than clear scientific consensus on paraben risk.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method: Produced synthetically by the reaction of phenol with ethylene oxide. Entirely industrial. No natural source is commercially relevant. Production is large-scale and cost-effective.

Molecular Formula	C8H10O2
CAS Number	122-99-6
Botanical Name	N/A — synthetic molecule (nature-identical; trace occurrence in green tea, chicory)
IFRA Status	No known restrictions
Synonyms	phenoxyethanol, ethylene glycol monophenyl ether
Physical Properties
Odor Strength	Medium
Lasting Power	84 hours at 100%
Appearance	Colorless, slightly viscous liquid with a faint pleasant aromatic odor
Boiling Point	237.00 to 238.00 °C. @ 760.00 mm Hg
Flash Point	250.00 °F. TCC ( 121.11 °C. )
Specific Gravity	1.10500 to 1.10800 @ 25.00 °C.
Refractive Index	1.53700 to 1.54000 @ 20.00 °C.
Melting Point	12.00 to 14.00 °C. @ 760.00 mm Hg

In Perfumery

Functional preservative rather than a fragrance ingredient. 2-Phenoxyethanol is included in perfumed products as a broad-spectrum antimicrobial, not for its scent. Its mild odor profile makes it preferred over more pungent preservatives. Perfumers account for its presence in formulation but do not use it as a scent element. It appears on ingredient lists of virtually all water-containing cosmetics.