PEG-50 TALLOW AMIDE || Skin Deep: Cosmetic Safety Reviews

PEG-50 TALLOW AMIDE

Surfactant - Cleansing Agent; Surfactant - Solubilizing Agent; EMULSIFYING

SCORE

	4	moderate hazard to moderate hazard depending on product usage
	6
	75%	data gap
(why scores have changed)

Also listed as

POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL (50) HYDROGENATED TALLOW AMIDE; POLYOXYETHYLENE (50) HYDROGENATED TALLOW AMIDE; AMIDES, TALLOW, HYDROGENATED, ETHOXYLATED; HYDROGENATED TALLOW AMIDE ETHOXYLATE; HYDROGENATED TALLOW AMIDE, ETHOXYLATED

Given the incomplete information made available by companies and the government, EWG provides additional information on personal care product ingredients from the published scientific literature. The chart below indicates that research studies have found that exposure to this ingredient -- not the products containing it -- caused the indicated health effect(s) in the studies reviewed by Skin Deep researchers. Actual health risks, if any, will vary based on the level of exposure to the ingredient and individual susceptibility -- information not available in Skin Deep.

This ingredient:
	Cancer
	Developmental/reproductive toxicity
	Violations, restrictions & warnings
	Allergies/immunotoxicity
	Contamination concerns - ETHYLENE OXIDE, 1,4-DIOXANE
	Other moderate concerns for this ingredient: Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
	Lesser or emerging concerns for this ingredient: Data gaps
	See products containing PEG-50 TALLOW AMIDE

About PEG-50 TALLOW AMIDE: PEG-50 Tallow Amide is the polyethylene glycol amide of tallow acid that conforms generallyto the formula: where RCO- represents the fatty acids derived from tallow and n has an average value of 50.

This ingredient may be derived from animals. From PETA's Caring Consumer: Rendered beef fat. May cause eczema and blackheads. In wax paper, crayons, margarines, paints, rubber, lubricants, etc. In candles, soaps, lipsticks, shaving creams, other cosmetics. Chemicals (e.g., PCB) can be in animal tallow. Derivatives: Sodium Tallowate, Tallow Acid, Tallow Amide, Tallow Amine, Talloweth-6, Tallow Glycerides, Tallow Imidazoline. Alternatives: vegetable tallow, Japan tallow, paraffin and/or ceresin (see alternatives to Beeswax for all three). Paraffin is usually from petroleum, wood, coal, or shale oil.

PEG-50 TALLOW AMIDE has reported used in the following product types: hair color and bleaching (24)

Violations, restrictions & warnings

type of concern	product conditions	reference
Violation of industry recommendations - Restricted in cosmetics; use, concentration, or manufacturing restrictions - Not safe for use on injured or damaged skin	products for use on damaged skin	Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments
Determined safe for use in cosmetics, subject to concentration or use limitations - Safe for use in cosmetics with some qualifications		Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments

Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)

type of concern

product conditions

reference

Limited evidence of sense organ toxicity

Harvell, J, 1994

Data gaps

type of concern	product conditions	reference
Not assessed for safety in cosmetics by industry panel

Ecotoxicology

type of concern	product conditions	reference
Not suspected to be an environmental toxin		Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List

Multiple, additive exposure sources

type of concern	product conditions	reference
Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food		FDA Food Additive Status

Persistence and bioaccumulation

type of concern

product conditions

reference

Not suspected to be persistent

Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List

Government, industry, academic studies and classifications

government/industry list/academic study	appears on list as	classification(s)
Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List	AMIDES, TALLOW, HYDROGENATED, ETHOXYLATED	•This chemical was NOT flagged by CEPA for further attention.
FDA Food Additive Status	POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL	• Food additive: boiler compound • Food additive: food additive for which a petition has been filed and a regulation issued • Food additive: must be in accordance with good manufacturing practices, or sufficient for purpose; or in quantity not greater than required • In boiler water -173.310 • Food additive: antifoaming (or defoaming) agent • Food additive: food additive for which a petition has been filed and a regulation issued • Food additive: must be in accordance with good manufacturing practices, or sufficient for purpose; or in quantity not greater than required • Comp of defoaming agent -173.340 • CTG • Food additive: food additive for which a petition has been filed and a regulation issued • Food additive: must be in accordance with good manufacturing practices, or sufficient for purpose; or in quantity not greater than required • Ctg on fresh citrus fruits -172.210
FDA Food Additive Status	POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL	• miscellaneous • Food additive: food additive for which a petition has been filed and a regulation issued • Food additive: must be in accordance with good manufacturing practices, or sufficient for purpose; or in quantity not greater than required • Ctg • binder • plasticizing agent • and/or lubricant in tablets used for food • Adjuvant in nonnutritive sweeteners • vitamin and mineral preparations • Ctg for sodium nitrite to inhibit hygroscopic properties - CFR172.820 • ZERO - In milk - CFR172.820; 526.820
Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments	PEG-6	•Safe for use in cosmetics with some qualifications •Not safe for use on injured or damaged skin •May contain harmful impurities
CIR	PEG-6	•Ethylene oxide
Harvell, J, 1994	POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL	•Skin or sense organ toxicity hazards: suspected

references

government/industry list/academic study	reference
Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List	EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry.
FDA Food Additive Status	FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) 2006. Food Additive Status List. Downloaded from http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/%7Edms/opa-appa.html, Oct 16, 2006.
Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments	CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review). 2006. CIR Compendium, containing abstracts, discussions, and conclusions of CIR cosmetic ingredient safety assessments. Washington DC.
Impurities - Open Scientific Literature	CIR
Scorecard.org Toxicity Information	Harvell, J., M. Bason and H. Maibach. Contact Urticaria and its Mechanisms. Food Chemistry and Toxicology 32(2): 103-112. 1994. (Table 2: Substances identified as capable of causing contact urticaria).

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