What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Cocamide Mea
Emulsifying
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Urea
Buffering
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
Amodimethicone
Acrylates Copolymer
Piroctone Olamine
Preservative
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningCetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Trideceth-12
EmulsifyingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamide Mea, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Urea, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Amodimethicone, Acrylates Copolymer, Piroctone Olamine, Allantoin, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Cetrimonium Chloride, Trideceth-12, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide
Colloidal Oatmeal 5%
Absorbent
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ceteth-20
CleansingDimethicone
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingTriethanolamine
BufferingWater
Skin ConditioningColloidal Oatmeal 5%, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteth-20, Dimethicone, Disodium EDTA, Glycerin, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Isopropyl Myristate, Paraffinum Liquidum, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Triethanolamine, Water
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
