Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.
EWG Home EWG’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning EWG’s Food Scores Healthy Living App Open menu

EWG's Skin Deep®
Find products and ingredients Learn how Skin Deep® works Meet our experts Discover EWG VERIFIED®
GET UPDATES DONATE
Score legend
HOW WE DETERMINE SCORES Learn more About EWG VERIFIED®

Data: Limited

Cocamidopropyl Pg Dimonium Chloride Phosphate

  • Products with this ingredient are allowed for use in EWG VERIFIED but must meet use restrictions and warnings based on EWG review of company data.
  • This ingredient's score is higher if used in product forms that are inhalable (e.g., sprays, powders) because of respiratory concerns. The score is lower if used in product forms that have lower risk of inhalation (e.g., solids, liquids)
  • This ingredient's score is higher if used in products that may not meet industry safety guidelines or U.S. and international government requirements. The score will be lower if used in products that meet these safety guidelines and requirements.

SEARCH PRODUCTS

Other Concerns

Use restrictions (high)

SYNONYMS

● COCAMIDOPROPYL PG-DIMONIUM CHLORIDE PHOSPHATE

Restricted

Restricted: EWG VERIFIED products cannot contain this ingredient without adequate substantiation

Cocamidopropyl PG-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate is a quaternary ammonium salt.

Common concerns

See how this product scores for common concerns.

  • LOW
    Cancer
  • LOW
    Allergies & Immunotoxicity
  • LOW
    Developmental and Reproductive Toxicity
  • HIGH
    Use Restrictions

Ingredient concerns

  • CONCERNS
  • DATA SOURCES

Products with this Ingredient

Expand content Collapse content
shampoo25 products
body wash/cleanser25 products
baby wipes72 products
facial cleanser33 products
makeup remover21 products
after sun product1 products
Bath and Body Wipes23 products
styling mousse/foam5 products
exfoliant/scrub16 products
mask4 products
Exfoliants1 products
facial moisturizer/treatment3 products
foundation3 products
detangler1 products
antiperspirant/deodorant5 products
baby shampoo3 products
baby soap2 products
antiperspirant/deodorant (men's)3 products
toners/astringents1 products
serums & essences3 products
foot odor control1 products
hand sanitizer2 products
shaving cream1 products
hair treatment/serum2 products
daily use with SPF1 products
facial powder2 products
Preshave Preparations1 products
Wipes3 products
hair styling aid7 products
styling gel/lotion3 products
hair spray4 products
acne treatment1 products
Face Wipes1 products
conditioner1 products
anti-aging1 products

Developmental/reproductive toxicity

Expand content Collapse content
CONCERN REFERENCE
One or more animal studies show reproductive effects at moderate dosesQuaternary Ammonium Disinfectants Cause Subfertility in Mice by Targeting both Male and Female Reproductive Processes(2015-11-03)
One or more animal studies show reproductive effects at moderate dosesExposure to common quaternary ammonium disinfectants decreases fertility in mice(2014-12-01)

Endocrine disruption

Expand content Collapse content
CONCERN REFERENCE
Associated with endocrine disruptionIdentification of Environmental Quaternary Ammonium Compounds as Direct Inhibitors of Cholesterol Biosynthesis(2016-06-01)

Neurotoxicity

Expand content Collapse content
CONCERN REFERENCE
One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells demonstrate neurotoxicityBenzalkonium Chloride Disinfectants Induce Apoptosis, Inhibit Proliferation, and Activate the Integrated Stress Response in a 3-D in Vitro Model of Neurodevelopment(2021-05-01)

Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)

Expand content Collapse content
CONCERN REFERENCE
Possible human toxicantAltered toxicological endpoints in humans from common quaternary ammonium compound disinfectant exposure(2021-01-01)
Classified as not expected to be potentially toxic or harmfulEnvironment Canada
Classified as a low human health priorityEnvironment Canada

Allergies/immunotoxicity

Expand content Collapse content
CONCERN REFERENCE
Possible human respiratory toxicant or allergenEnvironmental Working Group 2020. Quaternary ammonium compounds structural similarities.(2020-12-01)
Known human [[system]] toxicant or allergenPeer Reviewed Literature
Limited evidence of respiratory toxicity or allergiesEnvironmental Working Group 2020. Quaternary ammonium compounds structural similarities.(2020-12-01)
Limited evidence of sensitization toxicity or allergiesDraft Final Amended Report on Cocamidopropyl Betaine and Related Amidopropyl Betaines(2010-01-01)
immune system or allergies - weight of evidence unknown/unassessedCosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR)
Limited evidence of toxicity or allergiesFinal report of the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel on the safety assessment of cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB)(2012-07-01)

Use restrictions

Expand content Collapse content
CONCERN REFERENCE
Recommended restricted in cosmetics - use, concentration, or manufacturing restrictions - Tentative Report: Cocamidopropyl Betaine and Related Amidopropyl Betains as used in Cosmetics(2010-01-01)
Determined safe for use in cosmetics, subject to concentration or use limitations - Safe for use in cosmetics with some qualificationsCosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR)
Violation of industry recommendations - Restricted in cosmetics; use, concentration, or manufacturing restrictions - Unsafe in products left on skin and not rinsed offCosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR)
Determined safe for use in cosmetics, subject to concentration or use limitations - Restrictions on impurities recommended by industry safety panelCosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR)
Recommended restricted in cosmetics - use, concentration, or manufacturing restrictions - Final report of the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel on the safety assessment of cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB)(2012-07-01)

Persistence and bioaccumulation

Expand content Collapse content
CONCERN REFERENCE
Not suspected to be persistentEnvironment Canada
Not suspected to be bioaccumulativeEnvironment Canada

Ecotoxicology

Expand content Collapse content
CONCERN REFERENCE
Suspected to be an environmental toxinEnvironment Canada

Informational

Expand content Collapse content
CONCERN REFERENCE
Industry or government recommendations for safe use: restrictions on concentration, impurities, product types, or manufacturing methods - anyCosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR)
Industry or government recommendations for safe use: restrictions on concentration, impurities, product types, or manufacturing methods - Unsafe in products left on skin and not rinsed offCosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR)
  • Quaternary Ammonium Disinfectants Cause Subfertility in Mice by Targeting both Male and Female Reproductive Processes(2015-11-03)
  • Exposure to common quaternary ammonium disinfectants decreases fertility in mice(2014-12-01)
  • Identification of Environmental Quaternary Ammonium Compounds as Direct Inhibitors of Cholesterol Biosynthesis(2016-06-01)
  • Benzalkonium Chloride Disinfectants Induce Apoptosis, Inhibit Proliferation, and Activate the Integrated Stress Response in a 3-D in Vitro Model of Neurodevelopment(2021-05-01)
  • Altered toxicological endpoints in humans from common quaternary ammonium compound disinfectant exposure(2021-01-01)
  • Environment Canada
  • Environmental Working Group 2020. Quaternary ammonium compounds structural similarities.(2020-12-01)
  • Peer Reviewed Literature
  • Draft Final Amended Report on Cocamidopropyl Betaine and Related Amidopropyl Betaines(2010-01-01)
  • Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR)
  • Final report of the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel on the safety assessment of cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB)(2012-07-01)
  • Tentative Report: Cocamidopropyl Betaine and Related Amidopropyl Betains as used in Cosmetics(2010-01-01)

Understanding scores

Cosmetics and personal care products are not required to be tested for safety before being allowed on the market. The Skin Deep® scoring system was designed to help the public understand whether a product is safe to use or whether it contains ingredients of concern.

Every product and ingredient in Skin Deep gets a two-part score – one for hazard and one for data availability. The safest products score well by both measures, with a low hazard rating and a fair or better data availability rating.


HOW WE DETERMINE SCORES

Hazard score

The Skin Deep ingredient hazard score, from 1 to 10, reflects known and suspected hazards linked to the ingredients. The EWG Verified® mark means a product meets EWG’s strictest criteria for transparency and health.

Score legend
WEIGHT-OF-EVIDENCE APPROACH

A product’s hazard score is not an average of the ingredients’ hazard scores. It is calculated using a weight-of-evidence approach that factors in all of the hazards or health impacts associated with the ingredients.

Data availability

The Skin Deep data availability rating reflects the number of scientific studies about the product or ingredient in the published scientific literature.

NONE LIMITED FAIR GOOD ROBUST
Low Availability
Moderate Availability
High Availability
NONE

Ingredients have not been assessed.

LIMITED-FAIR

There is only a modest volume of research.

GOOD-ROBUST

Ingredients have been studied extensively.

Can’t find your product?

Enter the ingredients in EWG’s Build Your Own Report tool to get an approximate score for that product.

BUILD YOUR OWN REPORT

News & updates

Big Market for Black Cosmetics, but Less-Hazardous Choices Limited
RESEARCH
Big Market for Black Cosmetics, but Less-Hazardous Choices Limited
K-Beauty Trends: Serums, Essences and EWG’s Best Bets
RESEARCH
K-Beauty Trends: Serums, Essences and EWG’s Best Bets
FDA Asks Women To Protect Themselves From Products The Agency Refused To Ban
NEWS RELEASE
FDA Asks Women To Protect Themselves From Products The Agency Refused To Ban
Study Highlights Importance of Cosmetics Ingredient Safety Tests
NEWS RELEASE
Study Highlights Importance of Cosmetics Ingredient Safety Tests
READ ALL ARTICLES
Skindeep Healthy Living App

EWG research
on the go

Find personal care, cleaning, and food products on the EWG Healthy Living app.

DOWNLOAD THE APP