What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningUrea
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Isopropyl Stearate
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate
Emulsifying
Tapioca Starch
Carnitine
Cleansing
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Arginine Hcl
Skin ConditioningSodium PCA
Humectant
Histidine
Humectant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Mannitol
Humectant
Arginine
Masking
Serine
Masking
Sucrose
Humectant
PCA
Humectant
Citrulline
Skin ConditioningGlycogen
HumectantAlanine
Masking
Threonine
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Lysine Hcl
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Chloride
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Urea, Glycerin, Isopropyl Stearate, Dicaprylyl Ether, Glyceryl Glucoside, Sodium Lactate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate, Tapioca Starch, Carnitine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceramide NP, Arginine Hcl, Sodium PCA, Histidine, Lactic Acid, Mannitol, Arginine, Serine, Sucrose, PCA, Citrulline, Glycogen, Alanine, Threonine, Glutamic Acid, Lysine Hcl, Sodium Chloride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate
Water
Skin ConditioningGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ammonium Lactate
Buffering
Petrolatum
Emollient
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingPropanediol
Solvent
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Steareth-21
CleansingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingPPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate
EmollientCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingZingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate/Succinate
Stearamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingWater, Gluconolactone, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract, Cetyl Alcohol, Ammonium Lactate, Petrolatum, Potassium Hydroxide, Propanediol, Salicylic Acid, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Steareth-21, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Jojoba Esters, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Caprylyl Methicone, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Panthenol, Bisabolol, Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate/Succinate, Stearamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Phenoxyethanol, Propylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose
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
