What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Titanium Dioxide 7%
Cosmetic Colorant
Zinc Oxide 6%
Cosmetic Colorant
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Isododecane
EmollientC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientButyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Alumina
Abrasive
Ammonium Hydroxide
BufferingLactobionic Acid
Buffering
PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Phenethyl Benzoate
Emollient
Nylon-12
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Epigallocatechin Gallate
Antioxidant
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer
Hydrogen Dimethicone
Isohexadecane
EmollientSodium Citrate
BufferingDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingMagnesium Sulfate
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPropylene Carbonate
SolventSodium Bisulfite
Antioxidant
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantTitanium Dioxide 7%, Zinc Oxide 6%, Water, Dimethicone, Isododecane, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Gluconolactone, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Alumina, Ammonium Hydroxide, Lactobionic Acid, PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Phenethyl Benzoate, Nylon-12, Tocopheryl Acetate, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Hydrogen Dimethicone, Isohexadecane, Sodium Citrate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Magnesium Sulfate, Dipropylene Glycol, Propylene Carbonate, Sodium Bisulfite, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77492, CI 77491, CI 77499
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
