What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Ozokerite
Emulsion StabilisingVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil
Emollient
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Oil
Astringent
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77007
Cosmetic ColorantIsopropyl Palmitate, Ozokerite, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Niacinamide, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77891, CI 42090, CI 77007
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
