What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientPEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate
Emollient
Polyethylene
Abrasive
PEG-8 Isostearate
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Amyris Balsamifera Bark Oil
Masking
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Boswellia Carterii Oil
Masking
Juniperus Mexicana Oil
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Citrus Aurantifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Nelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningFreesia Refracta Extract
Skin ConditioningRose Extract
Skin ConditioningLeontopodium Alpinum Extract
Skin ConditioningJasminum Officinale Extract
Masking
Narcissus Pseudo-Narcissus Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningLilium Tigrinum Extract
Skin ConditioningIris Versicolor Extract
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningLimonene
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Polyethylene, PEG-8 Isostearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Tocopheryl Acetate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Amyris Balsamifera Bark Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Boswellia Carterii Oil, Juniperus Mexicana Oil, Water, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Butylene Glycol, Citrus Aurantifolia Fruit Extract, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Nelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract, Freesia Refracta Extract, Rose Extract, Leontopodium Alpinum Extract, Jasminum Officinale Extract, Narcissus Pseudo-Narcissus Flower Extract, Lilium Tigrinum Extract, Iris Versicolor Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Limonene, Citral, Linalool
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
