What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Isononanoate
Emollient
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Ceteareth-12
EmulsifyingCeteareth-20
CleansingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Pantolactone
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Citrate
BufferingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCoconut Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters
Emollient
Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice
Skin Conditioning
Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract
Cleansing
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSalvia Officinalis Leaf Extract
CleansingPerilla Ocymoides Leaf Extract
TonicArtemisia Vulgaris Extract
Skin Conditioning
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingLactic Acid
Buffering
Arginine
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Coconut Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters, Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Perilla Ocymoides Leaf Extract, Artemisia Vulgaris Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Lactic Acid, Arginine, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben
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 Water
