What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Oleth-20
CleansingPEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
Algae Extract
EmollientGlycoproteins
Skin Conditioning
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Equisetum Arvense Extract
AstringentCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Urea
Buffering
Saccharide Hydrolysate
HumectantMagnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningGlycine
Buffering
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Benzophenone-4
UV Absorber
Alanine
Masking
Creatine
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSaccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tetrasodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Citronellol
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
CI 60730
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Oleth-20, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Algae Extract, Glycoproteins, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Urea, Saccharide Hydrolysate, Magnesium Aspartate, Glycine, Butylene Glycol, Benzophenone-4, Alanine, Creatine, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Allantoin, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract, Tetrasodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Citronellol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Geraniol, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Sodium Dehydroacetate, CI 60730
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 Phenoxyethanol
