What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Aspergillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningCopernicia Cerifera Wax
Saccharomyces Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Balanites Aegyptiaca Kernel Oil
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline
Skin Conditioning
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Chlorella Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Flower Extract
HumectantTremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide
Emulsion Stabilising
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingArachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingXylitol
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Vetiveria Zizanoides Root Oil
Masking
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
Masking
Boswellia Carterii Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Peel Oil
Perfuming
Lavandula Hybrida Oil
Emollient
Mentha Citrata Oil
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSpirulina Platensis Extract
Skin ProtectingGlucose
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingLinalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Aspergillus Ferment, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Saccharomyces Ferment, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Arachidyl Alcohol, Balanites Aegyptiaca Kernel Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline, Ectoin, Phenoxyethanol, Xylitylglucoside, Behenyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Chlorella Ferment, Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Flower Extract, Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide, Anhydroxylitol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Acacia Senegal Gum, Arachidyl Glucoside, Cellulose Gum, Xanthan Gum, Xylitol, Tocopherol, Vetiveria Zizanoides Root Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Boswellia Carterii Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Peel Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Mentha Citrata Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Spirulina Platensis Extract, Glucose, Sodium Hydroxide, Linalool, Limonene
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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
