What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Octyldodecyl Myristate
EmollientMacadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingIsohexadecane
EmollientTriethanolamine
BufferingOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Pinus Sylvestris Leaf Oil
Masking
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Cananga Odorata Flower Oil
Masking
Pollen Extract
EmollientOriganum Vulgare Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSalix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningCinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract
Masking
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Camellia Japonica Flower Extract
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Bee Venom
Astringent
Lecithin
Emollient
Terminalia Chebula Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCaesalpinia Sappan Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningMagnolia Obovata Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Butylene Glycol, Octyldodecyl Myristate, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Polysorbate 60, Glyceryl Caprylate, PEG-100 Stearate, Sorbitan Stearate, Stearic Acid, Beeswax, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Isohexadecane, Triethanolamine, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Polysorbate 80, Disodium EDTA, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Pinus Sylvestris Leaf Oil, Salicylic Acid, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Pollen Extract, Origanum Vulgare Leaf Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Alcohol, Bee Venom, Lecithin, Terminalia Chebula Fruit Extract, Caesalpinia Sappan Bark Extract, Magnolia Obovata Bark Extract
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
