Polyethylene glycols (PEGs) are commonly found in cosmetics and personal care products. they are important surfactants where they prevent the build up of silicones in the hair and help solubilise key products which would not normally be active.
Typical PEGs found in hair care products especially shampoo and conditioners are Trideceth-12 which is a polyethylene glycol ether of tridecyl alcohol. It also has 12 units of ethylene oxide within the compound. The compound is prepared from vegetable oil.
In safety terms PEGs are not regarded as hazardous to health unless they are ingested and only then in sufficiently large amounts. products containing PEGs should not be used on broken or irritated skin.
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Bob again ! I used PEGs in purification studies and there is a lot more that could be said about this component in food and cosmetics.