What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine 1.8%
Skin Conditioning
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate 4%
UV Filter
Homosalate 8%
Skin Conditioning
Octocrylene 8%
UV Absorber
Titanium Dioxide 2.5%
Cosmetic Colorant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialMagnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSilica
Abrasive
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Methylparaben
Preservative
Niacinamide
Smoothing
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingPropylparaben
Preservative
Water
Skin ConditioningPvp
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine 1.8%, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate 4%, Homosalate 8%, Octocrylene 8%, Titanium Dioxide 2.5%, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Carbomer, Silica, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Methylparaben, Niacinamide, PEG-100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Propylparaben, Water, Pvp, Triethanolamine, Xanthan Gum
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 Phenoxyethanol
