Ethyl Glycolate
AKA “Ethyl hydroxyacetate, Ethyl glycollate, Hydroxyacetic acid ethyl ester, GLYCOLIC ACID, ETHYL ESTER, Acetic acid, ethyl ester, NSC 8835”
Synthetic
Ingredient Facts
Ethyl glycolate
AKA: Ethyl hydroxyacetate, Ethyl glycollate, Hydroxyacetic acid ethyl ester, GLYCOLIC ACID, ETHYL ESTER, Acetic acid, Ethyl ester, NSC 8835
Synthetic · Humectant · EWG: 4
Synthetic
Humectant
Solvent
Chemical Exfoliant
Synthetic
Clean
A gentle exfoliating ingredient that helps remove dead skin cells while keeping skin hydrated and smooth.
Formula
C4H8O3
Mol. Weight
104.10
CAS #
107-21-1
Form
Powder
State
Clear colorless liquid; [Acros Organics MSDS]
See origin →
Functions
Humectant
A moisture magnet. Pulls water from the air and deeper skin layers up to the surface to keep skin plump and hydrated.
Solvent
Dissolves other ingredients so they distribute evenly in the formula. Often the invisible "base" everything else is mixed into.
Thickener
Shields from UV damage
Traditional Use
Developed as a synthetic hydroxy acid in the late 20th century. Became popular in skincare products during the 1980s-1990s as a gentler alternative to glycolic acid for gentle exfoliation and skin renewal.
Skin Types
●all-skin-types
Best For
Uneven Texture
Melanin-Rich Skin
Suitable
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe
Caution
EWG
4
CIR
Safe w/Qualifications
Pregnancy
Caution
Restricted By
CIR Safety Findings
medical-approval
all-shades-safe
Phototoxicity Concern
Regulatory Agencies
Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Ammonium and Glyceryl Thioglycolates and Thioglycolic Acid
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel
International Journal of Toxicology
Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Ethyl Ester of PVM/MA Copolymer and Butyl Ester of PVM/MA Copolymer
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel
International Journal of Toxicology
Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Glycolic Acid, Ammonium, Calcium, Potassium, and Sodium Glycolates, Methyl, Ethyl, Propyl, and Butyl Glycolates, and Lactic Acid, Ammonium, Calcium, Potassium,
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel
International Journal of Toxicology
Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Sodium Dehydroacetate and Dehydroacetic Acid
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel
International Journal of Toxicology
Safety Assessment of Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate and Beta-Alanine Diacetic Acid as Used in Cosmetics
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel
International Journal of Toxicology
Sodium Dehydroacetate and Dehydroacetic Acid
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel
International Journal of Toxicology
Acetic Acid
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
RALGA (Diacneal), a retinaldehyde and glycolic acid assoc...
A D Katsambas
Dermatology (Basel, Switzerland), 2005
The use of glycolic acid as a peeling agent.
H Murad, A T Shamban, P S Premo
Dermatologic clinics, 1995
Chitosan-Glycolic Acid Gel Modification of Chloride Ion T...
Olga Zavyalova, Dominika Dąbrowska-Wisłocka, Konrad Misiura, Iga Hołyńska-Iwan
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 2023
Chitosan-Glycolic Acid Gel Modification of Chloride Ion T...
Olga Zavyalova, Dominika Dąbrowska-Wisłocka, Konrad Misiura, Iga Hołyńska-Iwan
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 2023
Chitosan-Glycolic Acid Gel Modification of Chloride Ion T...
Olga Zavyalova, Dominika Dąbrowska-Wisłocka, Konrad Misiura, Iga Hołyńska-Iwan
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 2023
Verified Feb 2026
Data: PubChem · CosIng · EWG · CIR