What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Pectin
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxypropyltrimonium Honey
Silk Amino Acids
HumectantHypnea Musciformis Extract
Skin ProtectingGelidiella Acerosa Extract
Skin ProtectingSargassum Filipendula Extract
Skin ProtectingSorbitol
Humectant
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSalix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Urtica Dioica Extract
AstringentEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Citrus Iyo Oil
Emollient
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantifolia Oil
Cleansing
Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Cellulose Gum, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Pectin, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Honey, Silk Amino Acids, Hypnea Musciformis Extract, Gelidiella Acerosa Extract, Sargassum Filipendula Extract, Sorbitol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Urtica Dioica Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Citrus Iyo Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia Oil, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Pectin is a fiber naturally found in the cell walls of plants.
It is commonly used a thickening agent in both food and cosmetics. In skincare, it prevents ingredients from separating.
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
