What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Dimethicone
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
EmollientBehenamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Gardenia Taitensis Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
Emollient
Hydroxypropylgluconamide
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Silicone Quaternium-22
Hydroxypropylammonium Gluconate
HumectantAminopropyl Dimethicone
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPolyglyceryl-3 Caprate
EmulsifyingCrambe Abyssinica Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Laureth-23
Cleansing
Laureth-4
Emulsifying
Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract
Skin Conditioning
Bis-Diisopropanolamino-Pg-Propyl Dimethicone/Bis-Isobutyl PEG-14 Copolymer
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Butyloctanol
HumectantCitric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Preservative
Methylisothiazolinone
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Coumarin
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Dimethicone, Behentrimonium Chloride, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Behenamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Gardenia Taitensis Flower Extract, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Hydroxypropylgluconamide, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Silicone Quaternium-22, Hydroxypropylammonium Gluconate, Aminopropyl Dimethicone, Dipropylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-3 Caprate, Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Laureth-23, Laureth-4, Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract, Bis-Diisopropanolamino-Pg-Propyl Dimethicone/Bis-Isobutyl PEG-14 Copolymer, Polysorbate 20, Butyloctanol, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Parfum, Coumarin, Linalool
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
