PEG

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) consists of repeating units of ethylene glycol. There are various types of PEGs according to ethylene glycol chain lengths, and they have been safely used for many years in a wide range of industries. These industrial applications include rubber and adhesives, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. In many of the products used daily such as cosmetics, PEGs are used in skin care products, hair care products, laundry detergents, bath additives, toothpastes, and more for their moisturizing properties and ability to combine ingredients that do not mix well with each other, such as water and oil. On ingredient labels, PEGs appear as “PEG-XX” or “polyethylene glycol XX” (where XX consists of a number(s)).

Despite PEGs’ long history of safe use, there are concerns that PEGs may be contaminated with impurities such as ethylene oxide or 1,4-dioxane, which are carcinogenic, or cause allergic reactions. By highly purifying the PEGs, it is possible to reduce these impurities to a level that poses no risk to human health as determined by scientific agencies of regulatory authorities in Europe, the United States, and others. For this reason, we use highly purified PEGs. As for the allergy concern, allergic reactions are rarely observed when used at safe concentrations, according to independent scientists and scientific agencies around the world. We use the appropriate concentration of PEGs in our products to ensure safety and effective action.

Kao complies with the laws and regulations of all countries and regions in which we operate. Additionally, we conduct rigorous safety assessments and perform a wide range of product-use tests based on the Kao Safety Standards^* , so that you can use our products safely. We continuously explore new scientific findings relevant to the ingredients we use and review the safety of our in-market products. We are committed to continuing to develop our products for a better customer experience and increased product safety.