What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Diisostearyl Malate
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Hydrogenated Castor Oil Isostearate
Skin Conditioning
Phytosteryl Isostearyl Dimer Dilinoleate
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Methoxy PEG-114/Polyepsilon Caprolactone
BufferingPolyacrylate-13
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Polyisobutene
Hydrolyzed Ginseng Saponins
Skin ConditioningCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Honey
Humectant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Parfum
Masking
Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPolygonatum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract
Skin ConditioningRehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPaeonia Albiflora Root Extract
Skin ConditioningLilium Candidum Bulb Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Theobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningDextrin
AbsorbentGlycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Linalool
Perfuming
Panax Ginseng Flower Extract
Antioxidant
Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde
Masking
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Polyaspartate
HumectantTocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Methyl Stearoyl Taurate
CleansingWater, Butylene Glycol, Squalane, Glycerin, Propanediol, Behenyl Alcohol, Diisostearyl Malate, Dimethicone, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Hydrogenated Castor Oil Isostearate, Phytosteryl Isostearyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Methoxy PEG-114/Polyepsilon Caprolactone, Polyacrylate-13, Phenoxyethanol, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Polyisobutene, Hydrolyzed Ginseng Saponins, Caffeine, Honey, Alcohol, Parfum, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Polygonatum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract, Rehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Lilium Candidum Bulb Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Polyacrylate, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Dextrin, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Limonene, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Linalool, Panax Ginseng Flower Extract, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Hexyl Cinnamal, Phytosphingosine, Sodium Polyaspartate, Tocopherol, Sodium Methyl Stearoyl Taurate
Reviews
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
