No - water will not work.
Transcutol is available in EU, bought from here: https://www.laboratoriumdiscounter.nl . And perhaps other places.
Transcutol has a number of different chemical names/identifiers. Here is a list:
- 2-(2-Ethoxyethoxy)ethanol: Ethoxydiglycol, 3,6-dioxa-1-octanol,
- DEGEE, diethylene glycol monoethyl ether,
- Carbitol,
- Carbitol Cellosolve,
- Transcutol,
- Dioxitol,
- Polysolv DE,
- Dowanal DE
Chemical Identifier: CAS Number 111-90-0
Examples of Where you can order / buy Transcutol from in the USA:
LotionCrafters: Transcutol / Ethoxydiglycol
Laballey.com : Transcutol / Diethylene Glycol Monoethyl Ether
Some people use DMSO, but its a more powerful solvent, perhaps more than you want (but diluted, it may be fine, I have not used it topically):
just a little information I saw recently in a book on cosmetic dermatology that covered the excipients like transcutol and DMSO. See the bold comment on DMSO below. Here is an excerpt:
“Penetration enhancers
In this section, the influence of PEs on the diffusion coefficient and solubility of the active in the stratum corneum is evaluated. The use of topically applied chemical agents (surfactants, solvents, emollients) is a well‐known technique to modify the stratum corneum and also modify the chemical potential of selected actives. Collectively, these materials can be referred to as PEs. Based on the chemical structure, PEs can be categorized into several groups such as fatty acids, fatty alcohols, terpene fatty acid esters, and pyrrolidone derivatives [13]. PEs commonly used in skin care products have well‐known safety profiles but their ability to enhance penetration of an active is challenging because of the manifold ingredients used in many formulations.
Chemical enhancers
They are also known as absorption promoters and accelerants which are “pharmacological inert, nontoxic, nonirritating, nonallergic, rapid onset of action, and suitable duration of action, inexpensive and cosmetically acceptable [14].” A number of solvents (e.g. ethanol, propylene glycol, Transcutol® [Gattefossé, Saint‐Priest, France], and N‐methyl pyrrolidone) increase permeant partitioning into and solubility within the stratum corneum, hence increasing KP in Fick’s equation (equation 9.1). Ethanol was the first PE cosolvent incorporated into transdermal systems [15]. Synergistic[…]” “Synergistic effects between enhancers (e.g. Azone® [PI Chemicals, Shanghai, China], fatty acids) and more polar cosolvents (e.g. ethanol, propylene glycol) have also been reported suggesting that the latter facilitates the solubilization of the former within the stratum corneum, thus amplifying the lipid‐modulating effect. Similarly, solvents such as Transcutol are proposed to act by improving solubility within the membrane rather than by increasing diffusion. Another solvent, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), by contrast, is relatively aggressive and induces significant structural perturbations such as keratin denaturation and the solubilization of membrane components [16]. Table 9.2 is a list of the more commonly utilized chemical PEs.”
Excerpt From Book:
Cosmetic Dermatology, Draelos, Zoe Diana;
