What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Rosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer
SolventAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Methylpropanediol
SolventMethicone
Emollient
Phenylethyl Resorcinol
Antioxidant
Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide
Emulsion Stabilising
Portulaca Oleracea Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Antioxidant
Paeonia Lactiflora Extract
AstringentGlyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Osmanthus Fragrans Flower Extract
MaskingStephania Tetrandra Root Extract
Skin ConditioningBeta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Glutathione
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Tranexamic Acid, Niacinamide, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycereth-26, Hydroxyacetophenone, 1,2-Hexanediol, PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Methylpropanediol, Methicone, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract, Allantoin, Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide, Portulaca Oleracea Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Paeonia Lactiflora Extract, Glyceryl Glucoside, Polysorbate 80, Propylene Glycol, Bisabolol, Osmanthus Fragrans Flower Extract, Stephania Tetrandra Root Extract, Beta-Glucan, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Phenoxyethanol, Phospholipids, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Ceramide NP, Glutathione, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate
Alternatives
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
