murphy1,2-Butanediol
AKA: Butane-1, 2-diol, 584-03-2, 2-Butylene glycol, 2-Dihydroxybutane, Alpha-Butylene glycol, Alpha-Butyleneglycol
Synthetic
Humectant
Solvent
Skin Conditioner
Clean
OriginDerived from petroleum-based feedstocks or synthesized from acetylene and formaldehyde as starting materials. Produced through catalytic hydrogenation and condensation reactions to form the four-carbon diol compound.
Butane-1,2-diol is a butanediol in which the two hydroxy groups are located at positions 1 and 2. It has a role as a metabolite. It is a glycol and a butanediol.
Solubility SPECIFIC OPTICAL ROTATION: -7.4 DEG AT 22 °C/D (ALCOHOL, 4%); SOL IN WATER, ALCOHOL & ACETONE /L-FORM/
Formula
C4H10O2
Mol. Weight
90.12
CAS #
584-03-2
Form
Liquid
State
Liquid
Skin Types
●all-skin-types, gentle
Best For
Dehydration
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe
Yes
Functions
Humectant
A moisture magnet. Pulls water from the air and deeper skin layers up to the surface to keep skin plump and hydrated.
Skin Conditioning
A catch-all term for ingredients that improve how skin looks and feels — softer, smoother, more supple. The workhorse behind most moisturizers.
Solvent
Dissolves other ingredients so they distribute evenly in the formula. Often the invisible "base" everything else is mixed into.
Viscosity Controlling
Locks In Moisture
The paper trail
🔬Peer-reviewed1 paper →
⚖️Regulatory1 listing →
🛡️Safety-assessed2 reviews →
Counts, not a verdict. A listing isn't a study. The trail, you decide.
EWG
1
CIR
Safe as used
Pregnancy
Yes
Restricted By
CIR Safety Findings
Not Phototoxic (CIR Panel on the ingredient group)
CIR Panel statement covering this group of ingredients; not tested individually (CIR 576)
Not a Skin Irritant
1 study / 1 not irritating (CIR 576)
Mixed Eye Irritation Results
1 study / 1 mixed (CIR 576)
Regulatory Agencies
Verified Jun 2026
Data: PubChem · CosIng · EWG · CIR