What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
No benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Althaea Officinalis Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Punica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Honey
Humectant
Vinegar
Glycerin
Humectant
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCitric Acid
Buffering
Parfum
Masking
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Honey, Vinegar, Glycerin, Lactobacillus Ferment, Lactobacillus, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Phenoxyethanol, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Cocamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Parfum
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
