Should I Avoid phenoxyethyl methacrylate During Pregnancy? | VeriMom

What to use instead

Pregnancy-safe ingredients that serve a similar function:

Pregnancy-safe products to use instead

Products built around the safer ingredients above, scored "no known risks" or "low risk".

Unknown

100

schmidts here now

L'Occitane

100

L´Occitane Powder To-mousse Facial Exfoliator

Sustain Yourself

100

Sustain Yourself Natural Deodorant

Bitamin

100

Bitamin Natural Deodorant N'orange

Mew mew tweet

100

Mew mew tweet Cedar Spruce Baking Soda Free

Avero

100

Avero Solid Deodorant

Avril

99

Déodorant baume

HappySoaps

99

Happysoaps Neutraal

Laura Mercier

99

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum Spf 20 - Oil Free

Woohoo

99

Woohoo Deodorant & Anti-Chafe Stick

Pregnancy-Safe Alternatives to phenoxyethyl methacrylate | VeriMom

Ingredients — Pregnancy-Safe Ingredients Database — 28,000+ Ingredients Rated

See also

• Is phenoxyethyl methacrylate safe during pregnancy?
• Is phenoxyethyl methacrylate safe for babies?
• What are pregnancy-safe alternatives to phenoxyethyl methacrylate?

FAQ

Is phenoxyethyl methacrylate safe during pregnancy?

No EU Annex II/III ban or harmonised CLH (Annex VI) specifically placing this substance in a harmonised Category 1 CMR was found. However 2‑phenoxyethyl (phenoxyethyl) methacrylate is a low‑molecular‑weight methacrylate monomer and appears in multiple ECHA C&L/self‑notifications and SDSs flagged with H361d ("suspected of damaging the unborn child"). These notifications are not equivalent to an EU harmonised classification, so the score reflects a class/structural concern (methacrylate monomer) and the presence of C&L notifications rather than confirmed harmonised CMR evidence. (Sources: ECHA registration/C&L entries, manufacturer/SDS listings, PubChem.)

Is phenoxyethyl methacrylate safe while breastfeeding?

Same rationale as for pregnancy: no harmonised CMR or regulatory ban found, but the chemical is a small methacrylate monomer with C&L notifications listing H361d in some dossiers/SDSs. There are no peer‑reviewed developmental/reproductive studies for this specific CAS located in PubMed to confirm or refute reproductive toxicity, so the score remains a class/structural precaution. Exposure from topical cosmetic use is judged low but measurable. (Sources: ECHA/C&L, SDSs, PubChem.)

Is phenoxyethyl methacrylate safe for baby skin?

Hazard and mechanism scores are carried from adult data (class/structural concern for a methacrylate monomer). Exposure score is increased by +1 for infants (0–3 yr) because immature skin barrier and higher surface‑area‑to‑body‑weight make percutaneous uptake more likely; topical cosmetic exposure to small monomers can be measurable, and many product SDSs list monomer hazards. No infant‑specific absorption or toxicity studies were identified. (Sources: SDSs noting H361d, ECHA registration/C&L entries; no SCCS/CIR opinion or PubMed reproductive studies specific to this substance.)

How does VeriMom score phenoxyethyl methacrylate?

VeriMom scores phenoxyethyl methacrylate at 27/100 (high risk) based on EU CosIng status, ECHA hazard classifications, and peer-reviewed PubMed studies. Our scoring pipeline is fully transparent.

What are pregnancy-safe alternatives to phenoxyethyl methacrylate?

See our curated list of pregnancy-safe alternatives to phenoxyethyl methacrylate based on similar function and a no-known-risks safety band.