What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin Protecting
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPinus Palustris Leaf Extract
TonicUlmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract
AstringentPueraria Lobata Root Extract
HumectantWater, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Allantoin, Disodium EDTA, Butylene Glycol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Beta-Glucan, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningButyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Diheptyl Succinate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-6 Distearate
Emulsifying
Propanediol
Solvent
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Alumina
Abrasive
Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Skin ProtectingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
Perfuming
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Parfum
Masking
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPassiflora Edulis Seed Oil
Emollient
Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningAlgae Extract
EmollientPseudoalteromonas Exopolysaccharides
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Salicylate
Preservative
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Water, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Diheptyl Succinate, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Propanediol, Jojoba Esters, Glycerin, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Polysorbate 20, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Phenoxyethanol, Alumina, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Glycine Soja Oil, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Citric Acid, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Chlorphenesin, Parfum, Stearic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Algae Extract, Pseudoalteromonas Exopolysaccharides, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Salicylate, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Dehydroacetate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinPhenoxyethanol 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
