What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 1.5%
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 6%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningOctyldodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Ethylene Brassylate
MaskingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantDimethylheptenal
Perfuming
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 1.5%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Octocrylene 6%, Water, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, Glycerin, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 60, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Disodium EDTA, Ethylene Brassylate, Dipropylene Glycol, Dimethylheptenal
Water
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Dimethicone PEG-7 Phosphate
Cleansing
Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Masking
4-Butylresorcinol
Antioxidant
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Prunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingJasminum Officinale Flower/Leaf Extract
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract
Emulsion Stabilising
Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Extract
Perfuming
Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Plumeria Rubra Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningHedychium Spicatum Extract
Skin ConditioningHibiscus Abelmoschus Seed Extract
Masking
Gardenia Taitensis Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Eugenia Caryophyllus Flower Extract
AstringentCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Bisulfite
Antioxidant
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
CI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Acetyl Glucosamine, Butylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat., Niacinamide, Polysorbate 80, Dimethicone PEG-7 Phosphate, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, 4-Butylresorcinol, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Prunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Jasminum Officinale Flower/Leaf Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract, Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Plumeria Rubra Flower Extract, Hedychium Spicatum Extract, Hibiscus Abelmoschus Seed Extract, Gardenia Taitensis Flower Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Eugenia Caryophyllus Flower Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Bisulfite, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Linalool, Limonene, Hydroxycitronellal, Benzyl Alcohol, CI 17200, CI 19140
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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
