What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
Hexyldecyl Isostearate
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Petrolatum
Emollient
PEG-90
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Cholesteryl Hydroxystearate
EmollientBetaine
Humectant
Serine
Masking
Glycine
Buffering
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Polyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Hinokitiol
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Water, Squalane, Hexyldecyl Isostearate, Butylene Glycol, Petrolatum, PEG-90, Glycerin, Behenyl Alcohol, Ceramide NP, Cholesteryl Hydroxystearate, Betaine, Serine, Glycine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glyceryl Glucoside, Polyquaternium-51, Stearic Acid, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Hinokitiol, Phenoxyethanol
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-3 Cocoate
Emulsifying
Silica Silylate
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Nelumbo Nucifera Leaf Cell Extract
Skin ProtectingMangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Water
Skin ConditioningLinalool
Perfuming
Cymbopogon Citratus Leaf Oil
Masking
Cymbopogon Martini Oil
Masking
Citral
Perfuming
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Juniperus Mexicana Oil
Masking
Citronellol
Perfuming
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Rosa Damascena Flower Oil
Masking
Fusanus Spicatus Wood Oil
Masking
Hexyl Acetate
Masking
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
3-Hexenol
Masking
Farnesol
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Polyglyceryl-3 Cocoate, Silica Silylate, Persea Gratissima Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Nelumbo Nucifera Leaf Cell Extract, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Limonene, Geraniol, Water, Linalool, Cymbopogon Citratus Leaf Oil, Cymbopogon Martini Oil, Citral, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Juniperus Mexicana Oil, Citronellol, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Fusanus Spicatus Wood Oil, Hexyl Acetate, Triethyl Citrate, 3-Hexenol, Farnesol, Phenoxyethanol
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
