What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Potassium Myristate
EmulsifyingSorbitol
Humectant
Sodium Glycinate
Skin ConditioningMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentHydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Sodium Methyltaurate
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Protease
Exfoliating
Aroma
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingSilica
Abrasive
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningHoney
Humectant
Dextrin
AbsorbentBifida Polysaccharide
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant
Trisodium Phosphate
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingBHT
Antioxidant
Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract
Antioxidant
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Ostrea Shell Extract
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Calophyllum Inophyllum Leaf Extract
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantHouttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Rosa Canina Fruit/Flower Extract
Humectant
PEG-6 Cocamide Phosphate
Cleansing
Sodium Phosphate
BufferingHea Succinate
Succinoyl Collagen
Skin Conditioning
Superoxide Dismutase
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Zea Mays Starch, Potassium Myristate, Sorbitol, Sodium Glycinate, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Sodium Methyltaurate, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Protease, Aroma, Triethylhexanoin, Silica, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Water, Honey, Dextrin, Bifida Polysaccharide, Butylene Glycol, Trisodium Phosphate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Citrate, BHT, Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Ostrea Shell Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Calophyllum Inophyllum Leaf Extract, Dipropylene Glycol, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Rosa Canina Fruit/Flower Extract, PEG-6 Cocamide Phosphate, Sodium Phosphate, Hea Succinate, Succinoyl Collagen, Superoxide Dismutase, Citric Acid
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 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
