What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Sorbeth-230 Tetraoleate
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sodium Chloride
MaskingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Brassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf Extract
HumectantSpinacia Oleracea Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Medicago Sativa Extract
TonicChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Sorbitan Laurate
Emulsifying
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Gardenia Jasminoides Fruit Extract
Cosmetic ColorantParfum
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Glycolate
BufferingSodium Formate
Buffering
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
CI 75810
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Sorbeth-230 Tetraoleate, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Chloride, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Brassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf Extract, Spinacia Oleracea Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Medicago Sativa Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Glycerin, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Decyl Glucoside, Sorbitan Laurate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Gluconolactone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Maltodextrin, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Gardenia Jasminoides Fruit Extract, Parfum, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Glycolate, Sodium Formate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Limonene, CI 75810
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
