What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Glycerin
Humectant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Cyclotetrasiloxane
Emollient
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Glycosyl Trehalose
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Trideceth-6
EmulsifyingPEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone
Antioxidant
Steareth-20
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Dipeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Isomalt
HumectantArgania Spinosa Extract
Skin ConditioningLecithin
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Lupinus Albus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Methylparaben
Preservative
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Propylparaben
Preservative
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Water, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclotetrasiloxane, Dimethiconol, Butylene Glycol, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Glycosyl Trehalose, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Trideceth-6, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, Steareth-20, Phenoxyethanol, Dipeptide-2, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Isomalt, Argania Spinosa Extract, Lecithin, Sodium Benzoate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Paraffinum Liquidum, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Lupinus Albus Seed Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Methylparaben, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Propylparaben, Sodium Hyaluronate, Parfum
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
