What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Isononanoate
EmollientNiacinamide
Smoothing
Glycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Polyisobutene
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXylitol
Humectant
Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract
EmollientPiptadenia Colubrina Peel Extract
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether
Emulsifying
Bromelain
Skin Conditioning
Ceteareth-25
CleansingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Behenic Acid
Cleansing
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Diethylene Glycol Dibenzoate
EmollientPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Silica
Abrasive
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Eos
Skin Conditioning
Caprooyl Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Caprooyl Sphingosine
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Bisulfite
Antioxidant
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicFicin
Skin ConditioningGlutamine
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin Conditioning
Water, Ethylhexyl Isononanoate, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Squalane, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Polyisobutene, Carbomer, Xylitol, Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract, Piptadenia Colubrina Peel Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether, Bromelain, Ceteareth-25, Tocopherol, Disodium EDTA, Glycine Soja Oil, Maltodextrin, Cetyl Alcohol, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Benzyl Alcohol, Behenic Acid, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Diethylene Glycol Dibenzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Silica, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Eos, Caprooyl Phytosphingosine, Caprooyl Sphingosine, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Butylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Bisulfite, Biotin, Ficin, Glutamine, Proline
Alternatives
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 PhenoxyethanolSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
