What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Isododecane
EmollientWater
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/Isobornyl Acrylate Copolymer
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Silica Silylate
Emollient
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Dimethicone
Emollient
Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Styrene/Butadiene Copolymer
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Acrylates Crosspolymer-2
AbsorbentCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Magnesium Sulfate
Silica
Abrasive
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tris-BHT Mesitylene
Antioxidant
Isododecane, Water, Acrylates/Isobornyl Acrylate Copolymer, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Silica Silylate, Alcohol Denat., Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Dimethicone, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Hydrogenated Styrene/Butadiene Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Acrylates Crosspolymer-2, Caprylyl Glycol, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Magnesium Sulfate, Silica, Tocopherol, Tris-BHT Mesitylene
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 PhenoxyethanolTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about Tocopherol
