What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientDipentaerythrityl Hexa C5-9 Acid Esters
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Olivate
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract
MaskingSigesbeckia Orientalis Extract
Skin ConditioningCaesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Extract
Skin ProtectingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hovenia Dulcis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningKappaphycus Alvarezii Extract
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Escin
TonicMenthyl Lactate
Masking
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantBenzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Dipentaerythrityl Hexa C5-9 Acid Esters, Cetearyl Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Olivate, Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract, Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract, Caesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Hovenia Dulcis Fruit Extract, Kappaphycus Alvarezii Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Escin, Menthyl Lactate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Potassium Hydroxide, Sodium Metabisulfite, Hydroxyacetophenone, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Mica, CI 77891, Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool, Parfum
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
