What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPterocarpus Santalinus Wood Extract
AstringentTetrasodium EDTA
Squalane
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Arnica Montana Flower Extract
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialAlthaea Officinalis Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hedera Helix Extract
AntimicrobialSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSd Alcohol 40-B
Astringent
Yeast Beta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycolic Acid, Polysorbate 20, Phenoxyethanol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Parfum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pterocarpus Santalinus Wood Extract, Tetrasodium EDTA, Squalane, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Hedera Helix Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Sd Alcohol 40-B, Yeast Beta-Glucan, Hydroxyethylcellulose, CI 19140, CI 15985, CI 16035
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Petrolatum
Emollient
Trisiloxane
Skin Conditioning
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
PPG-2 Myristyl Ether Propionate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientBeeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAllium Fistulosum Bulb Extract
Skin ConditioningAlteromonas Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingArachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Calcium Gluconate
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCeramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cholesterol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Magnesium Salicylate
Preservative
Magnesium Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantManganese Gluconate
Skin ConditioningMeadowfoam Estolide
Skin ConditioningNymphaea Alba Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingSodium Palmitoyl Proline
Skin ConditioningTriethanolamine
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingZinc Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Petrolatum, Trisiloxane, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, PPG-2 Myristyl Ether Propionate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Beeswax, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Gluconolactone, C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Dipropylene Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Allium Fistulosum Bulb Extract, Alteromonas Ferment Extract, Arachidyl Glucoside, Arachidyl Alcohol, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Behenyl Alcohol, Bisabolol, Butylene Glycol, Calcium Gluconate, Carbomer, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide NP, Cetyl Alcohol, Cholesterol, Disodium EDTA, Glyceryl Stearate, Magnesium Salicylate, Magnesium Stearate, Manganese Gluconate, Meadowfoam Estolide, Nymphaea Alba Flower Extract, PEG-100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Phytosphingosine, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Palmitoyl Proline, Triethanolamine, Xanthan Gum, Zinc Stearate
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
