What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Pvp
Emulsion StabilisingSteareth-2
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Steareth-21
CleansingSodium Polymethacrylate
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Laureth-21
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Arginine
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingSodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Simethicone
Emollient
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Citrate
BufferingCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Acrylates Copolymer
PPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantUltramarines
CI 77007
Cosmetic ColorantTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77266
Cosmetic ColorantCI 75470
Cosmetic ColorantChromium Oxide Greens
CI 77510
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Propylene Glycol, Pvp, Steareth-2, Stearic Acid, Steareth-21, Sodium Polymethacrylate, Glyceryl Stearate, Laureth-21, Phenoxyethanol, Arginine, Caprylyl Glycol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Simethicone, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Citrate, Cellulose Gum, Chlorphenesin, Acrylates Copolymer, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Microcrystalline Cellulose, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, Ultramarines, CI 77007, Titanium Dioxide, Mica, CI 77266, CI 75470, Chromium Oxide Greens, CI 77510
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
