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Ethyl Thioglycolate

A cosmetic ingredient used as depilatory, hair waving or straightening, reducing in skincare, haircare, and personal-care products sold in the European Union.

What is it?

Ethyl mercaptoacetate

What does it do?

Ethyl Thioglycolate is listed in the EU cosmetic ingredient inventory with the following declared functions:

  • Depilatory

    removes unwanted body hair, typically by breaking down the hair shaft

  • Hair waving or straightening

    permanently changes the shape of hair through chemical reduction and re-oxidation of the hair's disulfide bonds

  • Reducing

    a reducing agent — donates electrons to break chemical bonds, used in perms and depilatories

EU regulatory status

This ingredient is restricted in the European Union.

Ethyl Thioglycolate is listed under Annex III of EU Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009 (entry 2b). It is permitted only under specific conditions, concentration limits, or in particular product types.

Frequently asked questions

What is Ethyl Thioglycolate?

Ethyl Thioglycolate is a cosmetic ingredient catalogued in the EU CosIng database. Ethyl mercaptoacetate

Is Ethyl Thioglycolate allowed in cosmetics in the EU?

Only with restrictions. Ethyl Thioglycolate is permitted in EU cosmetics only under specific conditions defined in Annex III of Regulation 1223/2009.

What does Ethyl Thioglycolate do in cosmetic products?

Ethyl Thioglycolate is declared in the EU cosmetic ingredient inventory with these functions: depilatory, hair waving or straightening, reducing.

What is the CAS number of Ethyl Thioglycolate?

The CAS (Chemical Abstracts Service) number for Ethyl Thioglycolate is 623-51-8.

Related ingredients

Source: EU CosIng database (European Commission). This page is derived from public-sector information published by the European Commission. · Last updated: 15/10/2010