What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
Cleansing
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingGlycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingMethylparaben
Preservative
Sodium Chloride
MaskingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Citrus Paradisi Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningActinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract
EmollientCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Junos Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningVitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPunica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Water, Stearic Acid, Myristic Acid, Lauric Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Polysorbate 20, Glycol Distearate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Methylparaben, Sodium Chloride, Butylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Citrus Paradisi Fruit Extract, Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Octyldodecanol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ceramide NP, Caprylyl Glycol
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 Phenoxyethanol
