What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Water
TonicSaccharomyces/Nelumbo Nucifera Ferment Extract Filtrate
Antioxidant
Saponaria Officinalis Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Veronica Officinalis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Aesculus Hippocastanum Extract
Antioxidant
Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract
EmollientAnanas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningBetaine
Humectant
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Citrus Paradisi Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Lavandula Hybrida Oil
Emollient
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Juniperus Mexicana Oil
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Propanediol, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Allantoin, Panthenol, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Water, Saccharomyces/Nelumbo Nucifera Ferment Extract Filtrate, Saponaria Officinalis Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Veronica Officinalis Leaf Extract, Glycolic Acid, Aesculus Hippocastanum Extract, Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Betaine, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Citrus Paradisi Fruit Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Tocopherol, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Carbomer, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Potassium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Juniperus Mexicana Oil, Limonene, Phenoxyethanol
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate
Emollient
PEG-8 Isostearate
Emulsifying
Polyethylene
Abrasive
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAstrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil
Emollient
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, PEG-8 Isostearate, Polyethylene, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter, Persea Gratissima Oil, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinPhenoxyethanol 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
