What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningLactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Ethyl Linoleate
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHexanoyl Dipeptide-3 Norleucine Acetate
Skin Conditioning
Myristoyl Nonapeptide-3
Skin Conditioning
Yeast Extract
Skin ConditioningSoy Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningBisabolol
Antioxidant
Pseudoalteromonas Exopolysaccharides
Skin ConditioningLecithin
Emollient
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Isohexadecane
EmollientPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Sodium Salicylate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Water, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Glycerin, Ethyl Linoleate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hexanoyl Dipeptide-3 Norleucine Acetate, Myristoyl Nonapeptide-3, Yeast Extract, Soy Amino Acids, Bisabolol, Pseudoalteromonas Exopolysaccharides, Lecithin, Sorbitan Isostearate, Isohexadecane, Polysorbate 60, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Salicylate, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Pentylene Glycol, Ethoxydiglycol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
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
