Skim through

What it does: deodorant, conditioning, preservative 

The science

Ethylhexylglycerin can boost the effectiveness of phenoxyethanol (and other preservatives), therefore they're great ingredients to use together. As an added bonus, it results in the product feeling nice on the hair. It's also an effective deodorant, an emollient, and it has antimicrobial properties as well.

Benefits for your hair

Promotes hydration and smoothness

Ethylhexylglycerin, as an emollient, helps in hydrating the hair as it can provide and lock in moisture. This results in the hair looking and feeling both softer and smoother.  

Promotes gentle cleansing of scalp

As a surfactant, ethylhexylglycerin will attract oil and grime from the scalp so that it can be washed away. It provides a gentle cleansing that removes impurities without stripping the hair and skin of moisture.

Promotes scalp health 

An imbalanced scalp can lead to many issues for the scalp and hair. Overly-stripping cleansers can actually promote more oil production, and dry, flaky scalps can cause itching and hair loss. The combination of cleansing and moisture provided by ethylhexylglycerin promotes a balanced scalp environment.

TLDR 

Ethylhexylglycerin is a wonderful ingredient that promotes hydrations, softens and smooths the hair, gently cleanses and improves the overall scalp health. It has antimicrobial properties and works well with other ingredients.