What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Enantia Chlorantha Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningOleanolic Acid
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Laurate
Emulsifying
Myristyl Malate Phosphonic Acid
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Methoxyethyl Acrylate Copolymer
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningZinc PCA
Humectant
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingMagnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Copper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCaesalpinia Spinosa Gum
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Triethanolamine
BufferingWater, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Enantia Chlorantha Bark Extract, Oleanolic Acid, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Sorbitan Oleate, Sorbitan Laurate, Myristyl Malate Phosphonic Acid, Glycerin, Isononyl Isononanoate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Methoxyethyl Acrylate Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Coco-Glucoside, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Palmitate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Zinc PCA, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate, Copper Gluconate, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Disodium EDTA, Triethanolamine
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Dimethicone
Emollient
Laureth-23
Cleansing
Laureth-4
Emulsifying
PEG-12 Dimethicone/PPG-20 Crosspolymer
Propanediol
Solvent
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Rosa Canina Fruit Extract
Astringent
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientPPG-1 Trideceth-6
Skin ConditioningBetaine
Humectant
Silica
Abrasive
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingZinc PCA
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Parfum
Masking
Water, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethicone, Laureth-23, Laureth-4, PEG-12 Dimethicone/PPG-20 Crosspolymer, Propanediol, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Cyclopentasiloxane, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Sodium Polyacrylate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Betaine, Silica, Xanthan Gum, Zinc PCA, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Parfum
Reviews
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 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 WaterZinc PCA is a clever two-in-one molecule: the zinc salt of pyrrolidone carboxylic acid (PCA).
Think of it as two useful things bonded together; the PCA half is one of your skin's own natural moisturizing factors (NMF) so it helps hold water in the upper layers. On the other hand, the zinc half does the heavy lifting on oil and bacteria.
The zinc part slows down an enzyme that turns testosterone into DHT, the hormone that tells your oil glands to pump out more sebum. Less of that signal means less oil. It also gently fights acne-causing bacteria and soothes redness/irritation.
This is why Zinc PCA often shows up in products for oily, breakout-prone skin and greasy scalps.
One lab study also hinted it might have a small anti-aging perk because it seemed to protect collagen from UVA damage and even helped the skin make a bit more of it. That last bit is still early research done in a dish and not real skin, so take it as a nice bonus rather than a promise for now.
As for scar healing, the picture is more "maybe" than a firm yes. Zinc itself plays a real role in wound repair because it is a cofactor for the enzymes involved in collagen building, calming inflammation, and helping new skin cells cover a wound. Lower zinc levels are also linked to slower healing.
Most of the scar healing research is on zinc oxide or oral zinc rather than zinc PCA specifically, with a focus on healing fresh wounds instead of scars that are already there.
Direct evidence that zinc PCA improves the look of established scars is still limited at this time. Though it would be fair to say zinc PCA supports the general skin-repair environment thanks to its zinc content .
This ingredient is water-soluble and plays nicely with other actives like niacinamide and salicylic acid. It works best at mildly acidic formulas (~4-6 pH) and is effective at low levels. Around 0.1% is enough to be active and finished products commonly use it anywhere up to 4%.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated, low-drama multitasker that suits oily and acne-prone skin.
Learn more about Zinc PCA
