I’m searching for information on phenoxyethanol to find out if it’s a safe ingredient in cosmetics. There seems to be conflicting information online, some saying it’s okay and others saying it’s nasty.

Is there a general consensus on whether it’s safe or not, backed up by a proper study?

JTQ said:

I’m searching for information on phenoxyethanol to find out if it’s a safe ingredient in cosmetics. There seems to be conflicting information online, some saying it’s okay and others saying it’s nasty.

Is there a general consensus on whether it’s safe or not, backed up by a proper study?

Phenoxyethanol is an alternative to standard, potentially harmful formaldehyde-releasing preservatives.
Patch test

In 2005–06, methyldibromoglutaronitrile/ phenoxyethanol was the ninth-most-prevalent allergen in patch tests (5.8%).

The Food and Drug Administration has warned that the chemical is toxic to infants via ingestion, and “can depress the central nervous system and may cause vomiting and diarrhea.” Combined with chlorphenesin, these two chemicals can cause respiratory depression in infants. Since these chemicals are often present in cosmetics and lotions applied to the hands and are easily ingested, caution should be exercised.

German research in 1999, concluded that it had neurotoxin potential, but in a concentration-dependent manner.

The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) data sheets show chromosomal changes and genetic mutation effects in testing as well as testicular atrophy and interference with reproductivity in mice for other glycol ethers, although phenoxyethanol is not mentioned in the abstract.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenoxyethanol#Safety

I know next to nothing about this, but “preservatives” as a general rule have been given a bad rap by alarmists.

Phenoxyethanol appears to be significantly safer than the preservatives it replaces. My personal view is that any product with bacterial growth in it is going to be more dangerous than one without bacterial growth.

Did you look at the MSDS?