What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Nelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Bambusa Vulgaris Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Zea Mays Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningBrassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingParfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Nelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Bambusa Vulgaris Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Zea Mays Leaf Extract, Brassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Polyacrylate, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Alternatives
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 PhenoxyethanolSodium Polyacrylate is the sodium salt of polyacrylic acid. It is used as an absorber, emollient, and stabilizer.
This ingredient is a super-absorbent polymer - meaning it can absorb 100 to 1000 times its mass in water. As an emollient, Sodium Polyacrylate helps soften and soothe skin. Emollients work by creating a barrier to trap moisture in. This helps keep your skin hydrated.
