What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Hexyl Laurate
Emollient
Cellulose
Absorbent
Polyethylene
Abrasive
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Silica Silylate
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Citrate
BufferingDimethicone/Polyglycerin-3 Crosspolymer
Cleansing
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Boron Nitride
Absorbent
Alumina
Abrasive
Glycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin Conditioning
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantMenthoxypropanediol
Masking
Sorbitol
Humectant
Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Sodium Phytate
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Lactate
Buffering
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Punica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Glycol
HumectantAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Hexyl Laurate, Cellulose, Polyethylene, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Octyldodecanol, Phenoxyethanol, Butylene Glycol, Caffeine, Silica Silylate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Sodium Citrate, Dimethicone/Polyglycerin-3 Crosspolymer, Chlorphenesin, Boron Nitride, Alumina, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, CI 77891, Menthoxypropanediol, Sorbitol, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Sodium Phytate, Carbomer, Sodium Lactate, Polysorbate 20, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Glycol, Alcohol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Tocopherol, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
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
