What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Petrolatum
Emollient
Lanolin Oil
Emollient
Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientTridecyl Stearate
Emollient
Isoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Trihydroxystearin
Skin Conditioning
Ozokerite
Emulsion StabilisingTridecyl Trimellitate
EmollientVp/Hexadecene Copolymer
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Trimethylsiloxysilicate
Emollient
Sodium Chloride
MaskingDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingCetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientAmyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Convallaria Majalis Bulb/Root Extract
Skin ConditioningDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
ChelatingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGeraniol
Perfuming
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Leontopodium Alpinum Flower/Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningLilium Candidum Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningLimonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Magnolia Liliflora Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningMangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Paeonia Lactiflora Root Extract
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Tbhq
Antioxidant
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Iron Oxides
Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Butylene Glycol, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Sodium Chloride, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Aluminum Hydroxide, Amyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Salicylate, Convallaria Majalis Bulb/Root Extract, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Geraniol, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxycitronellal, Leontopodium Alpinum Flower/Leaf Extract, Lilium Candidum Flower Extract, Limonene, Linalool, Magnolia Liliflora Flower Extract, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Paeonia Lactiflora Root Extract, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Triethyl Citrate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Glycerin, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Tbhq, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides
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 Phenoxyethanol
