What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Undecane
EmollientPolyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Tapioca Starch
Glycerin
Humectant
Tridecane
Perfuming
Magnesium Sulfate
Polyglyceryl-2 Isostearate
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil
Emollient
Theobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Biosaccharide Gum-4
Skin Conditioning
Alumina
Abrasive
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Isostearate
Emollient
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Lecithin
Emollient
Isostearic Acid
Cleansing
Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingIsopropyl Titanium Triisostearate
Emollient
Propylene Carbonate
SolventIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientStearalkonium Hectorite
Gel FormingIsopropyl Myristate
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Propanediol
Solvent
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Iron Oxides
Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Undecane, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, Tapioca Starch, Glycerin, Tridecane, Magnesium Sulfate, Polyglyceryl-2 Isostearate, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Butylene Glycol, Bisabolol, Biosaccharide Gum-4, Alumina, Stearic Acid, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Glyceryl Isostearate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Lecithin, Isostearic Acid, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate, Propylene Carbonate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Isopropyl Myristate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Propanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Iron Oxides
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 Phenoxyethanol
