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Propylene Carbonate
Propylene Carbonate
A helper for clay thickeners like bentonite — lets the clay swell into a smooth gel instead of gritty clumps.
What it does
It’s a solvent used most often with clay thickeners such as bentonite or hectorite. It is a processing-and-texture ingredient rather than a skin active.
The evidence, graded
expert consensusUS safety reviewers say products use propylene carbonate as a solvent and to thin formulas, at up to 17.9% in ones left on skin. They judged it safe as used in 1987 and 2006. In 2025 they added a condition, products made not to irritate, because of reports of skin discomfort. They had too little data to judge it sprayed on with an airbrush.Ferguson 2025 · Cosmetic Ingredient Review ↗
Graded per the methodology: strong · moderate · emerging · expert consensus. A weak source on a strong claim gets the weaker label.
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