What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Benzoate
Masking
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Trideceth-9
EmulsifyingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Lactobionic Acid
Buffering
Maris Aqua
HumectantTocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Zinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Magnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningAcacia Decurrens Flower Extract
Masking
Chlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningCollagen Amino Acids
Moisturising
Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract
Astringent
Linalool
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCopper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sodium Benzoate, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Trideceth-9, Potassium Sorbate, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Lactobionic Acid, Maris Aqua, Tocopherol, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Propylene Glycol, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract, Citric Acid, T-Butyl Alcohol, Limonene, Zinc Gluconate, Magnesium Aspartate, Acacia Decurrens Flower Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Collagen Amino Acids, Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract, Linalool, Phenoxyethanol, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Citronellol, Geraniol, Sodium Hydroxide, Copper Gluconate
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
