What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Acetamide Mea
Foam BoostingTriethanolamine
BufferingPEG-23m
Emulsion StabilisingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Tetrasodium EDTA
ChelatingMethyl Nicotinate
SoothingParfum
Masking
Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil
Masking
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Emulsifying
Trideceth-6
EmulsifyingLimonene
Perfuming
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Silica
Abrasive
Cystine Bis-Pg-Propyl Silanetriol
Skin ConditioningBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicLecithin
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Humulus Lupulus Extract
AntimicrobialCitrus Paradisi Peel Extract
Perfuming
Urtica Dioica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAcer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Limon Peel Extract
EmollientSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingVaccinium Myrtillus Leaf Extract
AstringentYeast Extract
Skin ConditioningPropylparaben
Preservative
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingBHT
Antioxidant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Methylparaben
Preservative
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Butylparaben
Masking
Water, Niacinamide, Caffeine, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Benzyl Alcohol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polysorbate 80, Polysorbate 60, Acetamide Mea, Triethanolamine, PEG-23m, Propylene Glycol, Tetrasodium EDTA, Methyl Nicotinate, Parfum, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil, Mentha Piperita Oil, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Trideceth-6, Limonene, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Silica, Cystine Bis-Pg-Propyl Silanetriol, Biotin, Lecithin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Humulus Lupulus Extract, Citrus Paradisi Peel Extract, Urtica Dioica Leaf Extract, Acer Saccharum Extract, Citrus Limon Peel Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Leaf Extract, Yeast Extract, Propylparaben, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, BHT, Potassium Sorbate, Maltodextrin, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Butylparaben
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
