What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyacrylate-2 Crosspolymer
Glycerin
Humectant
Tromethamine
BufferingSorbitol
Humectant
Acrylates Copolymer
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Arginine
Masking
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
PCA
Humectant
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicPelvetia Canaliculata Extract
Skin ProtectingLaminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Glycine
Buffering
Alanine
Masking
Serine
Masking
Threonine
Valine
MaskingIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin Conditioning
Histidine
Humectant
Phenylalanine
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Myristoyl Pentapeptide-17
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Alcohol Denat., Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polyacrylate-2 Crosspolymer, Glycerin, Tromethamine, Sorbitol, Acrylates Copolymer, Panthenol, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Butylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Allantoin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Propylene Glycol, PCA, Biotin, Pelvetia Canaliculata Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Threonine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Histidine, Phenylalanine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Benzoic Acid, Myristoyl Pentapeptide-17, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol
Isododecane
EmollientDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingPolyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Dextrin Palmitate
Emulsifying
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientPropylene Carbonate
SolventPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientCera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingPolyethylene
Abrasive
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantIsododecane, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, Dextrin Palmitate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Propylene Carbonate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Aluminum Hydroxide, Cera Microcristallina, Polyethylene, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Hexylene Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, CI 77891, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499
Reviews
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about Phenoxyethanol
