What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPectin
Emulsion StabilisingCocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Althaea Officinalis Leaf/Root Extract
EmollientAgave Americana Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningEquisetum Arvense Extract
AstringentUrtica Dioica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Corn Starch
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingChondrus Crispus Powder
Abrasive
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Cyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Water, Pectin, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Panthenol, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Althaea Officinalis Leaf/Root Extract, Agave Americana Leaf Extract, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Urtica Dioica Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Corn Starch, Xanthan Gum, Chondrus Crispus Powder, Polysorbate 20, Tocopheryl Acetate, Cyanocobalamin, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol
Water
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-69
Pvp
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Glycerin
Humectant
Keratin Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Lactobacillus/Tomato Fruit Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Acyl Coenzyme A Desaturase
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Tetrasodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Polyquaternium-69, Pvp, Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Glycerin, Keratin Amino Acids, Oryza Sativa Extract, Lactobacillus/Tomato Fruit Ferment Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Acyl Coenzyme A Desaturase, Parfum, Tetrasodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Phenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolWater. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
