What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Polybutene
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Lanolin Oil
Emollient
Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer
Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Polyethylene
Abrasive
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Silica
Abrasive
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Calcium Sodium Borosilicate
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Methylparaben
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Propylparaben
Preservative
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Linalool
Perfuming
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
BHT
Antioxidant
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 45410
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15850
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 75470
Cosmetic ColorantPolybutene, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Paraffinum Liquidum, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Lanolin Oil, Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Polyethylene, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Phenoxyethanol, Silica, Tocopheryl Acetate, Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Methylparaben, Parfum, Propylparaben, Ethylparaben, Linalool, Tin Oxide, BHT, Hydroxycitronellal, Hexyl Cinnamal, Mica, CI 77891, CI 45410, Iron Oxides, CI 19140, CI 15850, CI 17200, CI 42090, CI 15985, CI 75470
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
