Aqua (Water)
Also-called: Water | What-it-does: solvent
Good old water, aka H2O. The most common skincare ingredient of all. You can usually find it right in the very first spot of the ingredient list, meaning it’s the biggest thing out of all the stuff that makes up the product.
It’s mainly a solvent for ingredients that do not like to dissolve in oils but rather in water.
Once inside the skin, it hydrates, but not from the outside - putting pure water on the skin (hello long baths!) is drying.
One more thing: the water used in cosmetics is purified and deionized (it means that almost all of the mineral ions inside it is removed). Like this, the products can stay more stable over time.
Glycerin - superstar
Also-called: Glycerol | What-it-does: skin-identical ingredient, moisturizer/humectant | Irritancy: 0 | Comedogenicity: 0
- A natural moisturizer that’s also in our skin
- A super common, safe, effective and cheap molecule used for more than 50 years
- Not only a simple moisturizer but knows much more: keeps the skin lipids between our skin cells in a healthy (liquid crystal) state, protects against irritation, helps to restore barrier
- Effective from as low as 3% with even more benefits for dry skin at higher concentrations up to 20-40%
- High-glycerin moisturizers are awesome for treating severely dry skin
Read all the geeky details about Glycerin here >>
Propanediol
Also-called: Zemea | What-it-does: solvent, moisturizer/humectant
Propanediol is a natural alternative for the often usedand often bad-mouthed propylene glycol. It's produced sustainably from corn sugar and it's Ecocert approved.
It's quite a multi-tasker: can be used to improve skin moisturization, as a solvent, to boost preservative efficacyor to influence the sensory properties of the end formula.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
What-it-does: emollient
A super common emollient that makes your skin feel nice and smooth. It comes from coconut oil and glycerin, it’s light-textured, clear, odorless and non-greasy. It’s a nice ingredient that just feels good on the skin, is super well tolerated by every skin type andeasy to formulate with. No wonder it’s popular.
Butylene Glycol
What-it-does: moisturizer/humectant, solvent | Irritancy: 0 | Comedogenicity: 1
Butylene glycol, or let’s just call it BG, is a multi-tasking colorless, syrupy liquid. It’s a great pick for creating a nice feeling product.
BG’s main job is usually to be a solvent for the other ingredients. Other tasks include helping the product to absorb faster and deeper into the skin (penetration enhancer), making the product spread nicely over the skin (slip agent), and attracting water (humectant) into the skin.
It’s an ingredient whose safety hasn’t been questioned so far by anyone (at least not that we know about). BG is approved by Ecocert and is also used enthusiastically in natural products. BTW, it’s also a food additive.
Dodecane
What-it-does: emollient, perfuming
A natural based very light and highly spreading emollient that can be analternative to water-thin, volatile silicone, Cyclopentasiloxane.
C15-19 Alkane
What-it-does: emollient
A nice-feeling, light emollient that makes the skin soft and smooth. It gives a fresh and gliding sensation with a powdery or soft after-feel depending on the exact grade used. It is a popular alternative to replace silicones.
Chemically speaking, it is an alkane (stable, non-reacting hydrocarbon) that used to be produced from petrochemicals, but today's versions are typically vegetable based. It is readily biodegradable.
Hordeum Vulgare Seed Flour
What-it-does: abrasive/scrub
We don't have description for this ingredient yet.
Ethyl Macadamiate
We don't have description for this ingredient yet.
Glycine Soja (Soybean) Seed Extract - goodie
Also-called: Soybean Extract | What-it-does: antioxidant, skin brightening, soothing, emollient
When you hear the word Soy, you probably associate it with soy sauce or tofu, not skincare. But as it turns out, the soybean has a bunch of useful active components and soybean extract is an interesting cosmetic ingredient with a wide range of possible effects.
Its main active components are antioxidant phenolic acids and flavonoidsas well as small and large soy proteins. The large proteins give soybean extract nice skin smoothing and softening properties, while the small proteins (soybean trypsin inhibitor (STI) and Bowman-Birk inhibitor (BBI)) are thought to inhibit skin pigmentationanddelay hair regrowth.
Regarding skin pigmentation, the soybean extract works by hindering melanosome transfer, meaning it blocks the melanin pigment from traveling up to the surface of the skin and becoming visible there. This is useful for most pigmentation situationsbut, if you have melasma, soy is not for youas melasma isestrogen-mediated and soy is a well-knownphytoestrogen.
The most famous and bioactive flavonoids in soybeans are the isoflavones called genistein anddiadzeinthat have potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.Genistein is also proven to inhibit UV induced redness in human skin. These isoflavones are also the ones that make soy aphytoestrogen, meaning they have a (weak) estrogenic effect. Topical estrogen is known to decrease skin thinning and collagen loss and soy might be able to do the same, especially during and after menopause when natural estrogen levels run low.
There is also some promising, but as yet not in-vivo (done on real people), research that soybean extract can stimulate both elastin and collagen synthesis andthus lead tohealthier, younger-looking skin.
Overall, soybean extract is a promising and multi-functional active, a nice addition to most ingredient lists.
Sodium Hyaluronate - goodie
What-it-does: skin-identical ingredient, moisturizer/humectant | Irritancy: 0 | Comedogenicity: 0
It’s the - sodium form - cousin of the famous NMF,hyaluronic acid(HA). If HA does not tell you anything we have a super detailed, geeky explanation about it here. The TL; DR version of HA is that it's a huge polymer (big molecule from repeated subunits) found in the skin that acts as a sponge helping the skin to hold onto water, being plump and elastic. HA is famous for its crazy water holding capacity as it can bind up to 1000 times its own weight in water.
As far as skincare goes, sodium hyaluronate and hyaluronic acid are pretty much the same and the two names are used interchangeably. As cosmetic chemist kindofstephenwrites on reddit "sodium hyaluronate disassociates into hyaluronic acid molecule and a sodium atom in solution".
In spite of this, if you search for "hyaluronic acid vs sodium hyaluronate" you will find on multiple places that sodium hyaluronate is smaller and can penetrate the skin better. Chemically, this is definitely not true, as the two forms are almost the same, both are polymers and the subunits can be repeated in both forms as much as you like. (We also checkedProspector for sodium hyaluronate versions actually used in cosmetic products and found that the most common molecular weight was 1.5-1.8 million Da that absolutely counts as high molecular weight).
What seems to be a true difference, though, is that the salt form is more stable, easier to formulate andcheaper so it pops up more often on the ingredient lists.
If you wanna become a real HA-and-the-skin expert you can read way more about the topic at hyaluronic acid(including penetration-questions, differences between high and low molecular weight versions and a bunch of references to scientific literature).
Acetyl Hexapeptide-1 - goodie
Also-called: Melitane
Acetyl Hexapeptide-1 is a bit of a special snowflake among peptides as it's not a wrinkle-smoothing, anti-aging active like most of the other ones but it can stimulate pigmentation and melanin production (by interacting with a skin cell receptor calledMC1R).
As melaninnot only gives the skin its nicetanned color but also works as anatural protection factor,Acetyl Hexapeptide-1, aka Melitane does the same. It not only boosts a natural or an artificial tanbutgives extra protection againstUV-induced DNA and free radical damage and protects the skin against UV-caused redness.
N-Prolyl Palmitoyl Tripeptide-56 Acetate
We don't have description for this ingredient yet.
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2 - goodie
Also-called: Thymulen 4 | What-it-does: cell-communicating ingredient
A four amino acid peptide that is claimed to mimic the youth hormone calledthymopoietin. It works by compensating the loss of thymic factors that come with ageand is thought tostimulatethe skin immune defenses and to helpthe skin regenerate.
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38 - goodie
Also-called: Matrixyl synthe'6 | What-it-does: cell-communicating ingredient
It's a pretty new peptide trade-namedMATRIXYL™ synthe’6. The manufacturer claims that it can boost the production of 6 major components of the skin matrix (collagen I, III, IV, fibronectin, hyaluronic acid and laminin 5) that result in more even skin and fewer wrinkles particularlyon the forehead and crow's feet. Using 2% of the active for two months daily, women reported a decrease in wrinkles by 31% up to 100%.
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 - goodie
Also-called: Part of Matrixyl 3000, Pal-GHK, Formerly also Palmitoyl Oligopeptide | What-it-does: cell-communicating ingredient
A really famous peptide that is part ofMatrixyl 3000, the most sold peptide complex in the word. Before we go and find out whatthe big deal withMatrixyl 3000 is, let's just focus onPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1 itself for a bit.
It's a small three amino acid (they are the building blocks of all proteins) peptide with the amino sequence ofglycine-histidine-lysine, or GHK. GHK is attached topalmitic acid (a fatty acid) to increase oil solubility and skin penetration.
The GHK part is the important one as it's a type I collagen fragment. When collagen naturally breaks down in the skin, the resulting peptide fragments signal to the skin that it should get to work and create some nice, new collagen. Adding in collagen fragment peptides, like GHK, might trick the skin into thinking that collagen has broken down and it's time to create some more.
Therefore, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 is believed to be able to stimulate collagen production in the skin, and more collagen means fewer wrinkles and younger looking skin.
InMatrixyl 3000,Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 is coupled withPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7and the duo works in synergy to reduce wrinkles and give younger looking skin. According to the manufacturer's in-vivo (made on real people) test, applying 3% Matrixyl 3000 twice a day for 2 months resulted in all of the following things:
- 39.4% reduction in surface occupied by deep wrinkles
- 32.9% reduction in main wrinkle density
- 19.9% reduction in main wrinkle average depth
- 16% improvement in roughness
- 16.2% in lifting effect
- 5.5% improvement in elasticity
- 15.5% improvement in skin tone
Manufacturer results, of course,alwayshave to be taken with a pinch of salt, but if you like peptides, the Matryxil 3000 duo is one of the best-proven and most well-known ones and it's something that is worth trying.
SH-Oligopeptide-1
Also-called: Epidermal Growth Factor, EGF, rh-Oligopeptide-1 | What-it-does: cell-communicating ingredient
Sh-Oligopeptide-1 is the famous molecule, which is also calledEpidermal Growth Factoror EGF. Chemically speaking, Growth Factors are largish peptides or smallish proteins, or to put it in another way, medium-length amino acid sequences (EGF consists of53 amino acids). Biologically speaking, Growth Factors are cellular signal molecules that can stimulate cell growth, proliferation, healing and/or differentiation.
There are lots of Growth Factors and EGF is just one of them.The topic of "Growth Factors and skincare" is abig, confusing and controversial oneand we will try our best to summarize the story for you, including the pros and the cons.
EGF is a special snowflake when it comes to skincare as it was the first Growth Factor that made its way into cosmetic products and it isalso the most common one. The Americanbiochemist,Stanley Cohen discovered EGF and was awarded a Noble prize in 1986 for it. As the Noble prize may signify, the molecule is significant and powerful and directly stimulatesthe proliferation of epidermal cells.
When it comes to Sh-Oligopeptide-1 in a cosmetic product, it haspretty well-established woundhealing and skin renewal properties. It might even do more than that. According to a 2012 study on a serumcontaining barley bioengineered epidermal growth factor, "clinical evaluations showed statistically significant improvement in the appearance of fine lines and rhytids, skin texture, pore size, and various dyschromatic conditions apparent within the first month of use, and continuing improvement trends for the duration of the study" (which was 3 months).
This all sounds amazing, "give me some EGF Serum", we can hear you say! But as we wrote in the intro, the topic is complex and controversial so here are some of the questions that keep coming up around slathering EGF all over our face.
The first and biggest concern is that if EGF is so good at stimulating cell proliferation, how does it relate to cancer? Isthe definition of cancer not "cells proliferating out of control"? Most experts agree on this answer: EGF ismitogenic (= stimulates cell proliferation) but notmutagenic (= does not alter the cell to make it cancerous).If you do not have cancer, you will not get cancer from EGF. However, if you have cancerous cells, EGF will help them to spread, just like it helps healthy cells. So if you have a lot of moles, excessive UV exposure in the past, or if you have any of the skin cancer risk factors, we suggest you should think twice about using EGF products.The same is true if you have psoriasis, a skin disease related to the abnormal growth of epidermal skin cells. You do not want to add fuel to the firewith EGF.
Other (less serious)concernsare if EGF can properly penetrate the skin (as it is a medium-sized, polar molecule, so a special deliverysystem is probably needed), if it can affectcollagen synthesis (or just works on the surface plumping up only the upmost layers of the skin) and if it has beneficial effects at all when used in isolation versus when used in a "conditioned media" that contains lots of growth factors resembling the synergistic balance found in the skin.
Overall, our impression is that EGF is definitely a potent molecule. Some EGF products have a cult-like followingadding anecdotal evidence to the clinical studies showing EGF has a beneficial effect on the skin. If you like experimenting, by all means,go ahead (unless you have psoriasis or high skin cancer risk factors), but if you are a better safe than sorry type, stick to daily SPF + a good retinoid product. This duo is still the golden standard of anti-aging.
Are you interested in Growth Factors and skincare? We have some more here:
- Human Fibroblast Conditioned Media - a growth factor cocktailused in some cosmetic products
- Insulin-like growth factor 1, aka sh-Oligopeptide -2 - a pal of EGF composed of 70 amino acids
- Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor, akaSh-Polypeptide-9 - part of a GF cocktail trade named BIO-Placenta
SH-Oligopeptide-2
Also-called: Insulin-like growth factor 1, IGF-1, rh-Oligopeptide-2 | What-it-does: cell-communicating ingredient
Sh-Oligopeptide-2 is also calledInsulin-like growth factor 1 and it belongs to the same group of ingredients (Growth Factors) as its better-known sister, Epidermal Growth Factor orSh-Oligopeptide-1. This guy consists of 70 amino acids and, similar to EGF, it is also claimed to stimulate cell proliferation and wound healing. There is also a study that indicates EGF and IGF1 work in synergy to promotekeratinocyte (skin cell) proliferation.
The topic of Growth Factors in skincare is complex and controversial. If you are new to it, read our shiny explanation on EGF to get a (hopefully) balanced impression about the pros and cons.
SH-Polypeptide-1
Also-called: Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor, FGF2, rh-Polypeptide-1 | What-it-does: cell-communicating ingredient
Sh-Polypeptide-1 is a cell signalingprotein also calledBasic Fibroblast Growth Factorand is twin sister to AcidicFibroblast Growth Factor. We can write here pretty much the same things as we did on aFGF: it is a mitogenic (= stimulates cell proliferation) ingredient that stimulates fibroblast cell growth and proliferation. According to manufacturer info, it also stimulates the synthesis of collagen and other extracellular-matrix (the gooeystuff between cells) components.
Growth Factors and skincare is a big, complicated and controversial topic, so if you wanna know more, we have a more detailed explanation onEpidermal Growth Factor, the most common one used in skincare.
SH-Polypeptide-11
Also-called: Acidic Fibroblast growth factor, FGF1, rh-Polypeptide-11 | What-it-does: cell-communicating ingredient
Sh-Polypeptide-11 is a medium sized cell signalingmolecule also calledAcidic Fibroblast Growth Factor. It belongs to the same group of ingredients (Growth Factors) as its better-known sister, Epidermal Growth Factor or Sh-Oligopeptide-1. As its name suggests, FGF can stimulate the growth and proliferation of fibroblast cells (VIP cells that produce among other things collagen). According to manufacturer info, it also stimulates skin regeneration, wound healing and collagen and elastin synthesis.
As for research, we could find an in-vitro study that proved that "Recombinant FGF-1 strongly stimulated fibroblast and keratinocyte proliferation. However, the transition of this protein through the SC required an appropriate carrier system - lipid spheres."
It's also good to know that slathering mitogenic (= stimulates cell proliferation) ingredients on yourselfis somewhatcontroversial. If you are new to the "Growth Factors and skincare" topic, we have a more detailed explanation of Epidermal Growth Factor, so click here and read all about it.
SH-Polypeptide-9
Also-called: Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor, VEGF, rh-Polypeptide-9, part of BIO-Placenta | What-it-does: cell-communicating ingredient
Sh-Polypeptide-9 is a cell signaling protein also calledVascular Endothelial Growth Factor. As its name suggests, its main function is tostimulatethe formation of blood vessels. As to what it does in cosmetic products, we found manufacturers info claiming that it plays a role in supplying fibroblast cells (VIP skin cells that make collagen) with nutrients, in the growth and migration of cells and in wound healing.
It usually comes to the formula as part of a Growth Factor mix trade named BIO-Placenta, that combines EGF, IGF-1, FGF1, FGF2 and this guy to form a synergistic growth factor cocktail. BIO Placenta is claimed to do pretty much everything you would want from an anti-aging active including anti-wrinkle, skin rejuvenation, elasticity enhancement, moisturizing and cell vitalization properties.
This all sounds great and Growth Factors are for sure potent cell signaling molecules, butthe use of them in cosmetic products is somewhat controversial, so if you are new to the topic, read our explanation at EGF to get a (hopefully) balanced view.
Palmitoyl Dipeptide-10
We don't have description for this ingredient yet.
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 - goodie
Also-called: Part of Matrixyl 3000, Pal-GQPR, Previously Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-3 | What-it-does: cell-communicating ingredient
A four amino acid peptide with the amino sequence ofglycine-glutamine-proline-arginine. It is attached to palmitic acid (a fatty acid) to increase oil solubility and skin penetration.
It works by reducing the production of thesignal molecule,interleukin-6 (IL-6) which promotes inflammation in the skin and less inflammation means slower degradation of important things (like collagen)that resultsin younger looking skin for a longer time.
It works in synergy with its pal, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1in the famous Matrixyl 3000 complex. You can read some more about the famous duo here.
Nonapeptide-1
We don't have description for this ingredient yet.
Acetyl Glutamine
We don't have description for this ingredient yet.
Bacillus/Folic Acid Ferment Filtrate Extract
What-it-does: antioxidant, moisturizer/humectant
We don't have description for this ingredient yet.
Tocopherol - goodie
Also-called: Vitamin E | What-it-does: antioxidant | Irritancy: 0-3 | Comedogenicity: 0-3
- Primary fat-soluble antioxidant in our skin
- Significant photoprotection against UVB rays
- Vit C + Vit E work in synergy and provide great photoprotection
- Has emollient properties
- Easy to formulate, stable and relatively inexpensive
Read all the geeky details about Tocopherol here >>
Polyacrylate-13
A helper ingredient that functions as a film-forming polymer (big molecule from repeated subunits).
It usually comesto the formula as part of athickener-emulsifier trio paired withPolyisobutene andPolysorbate 20. The three togeather have excellent thickening properties with remarkable emulsifying-stabilising abilities. They also have a nice silicone feel with glide-on spreading.
Pullulan
If you ever wondered what those little Listerine breath strips were made of, you found your answer! Pullulan is a polysaccharide polymer, which basically means that it’s a big molecule made up of smaller sugar molecule units.
It dissolves in water and can make a thin, elastic, and moisture-absorbing film when spread on the skin that can cause an instant tightening effect. It can also be used as a thickener to get a silicone-like feeland can be used in peel-off masks. Btw, it's made from fungus via fermentation.
Polyisobutene
What-it-does: viscosity controlling
A polymer (big molecule from repeated subunits) that's used as a gloss improver for lipsticks and lipglosses. Its stickiness also helps lip products to stay on longer.
Combined with polyacrylate-13 and polysorbate 20, it forms a very effective tickener-emulsifier trio.
Silica
What-it-does: viscosity controlling, absorbent/mattifier
A white powdery thing that's the major component of glass and sand. In cosmetics, it’s often in products that are supposed to keep your skin matte as it has great oil-absorbing abilities. It’s also used as a helper ingredient to thicken up productsorsuspendinsoluble particles.
Pentylene Glycol
What-it-does: solvent, moisturizer/humectant
A multi-functional, silky feeling helper ingredient that can do quite many things. It's used as anemulsion stabilizer, solvent and a broad spectrum antimicrobial. According to manufacturer info, it's also amoisturizer and helps to make the product feel great on the skin. It works synergistically with preservatives and helps to improvewater-resistance of sunscreens.
Polysorbate 20
What-it-does: emulsifying, surfactant/cleansing | Irritancy: 0 | Comedogenicity: 0
It's a common little helper ingredient that helps water and oil to mix together. Also, it can help to increase the solubility of some other ingredients in the formula.
1,2-Hexanediol
What-it-does: solvent
A really multi-functional helper ingredient that can do several things in a skincare product: it can bring a soft and pleasant feel to the formula, it can act as a humectant and emollient, it can be a solvent for some other ingredients (for example it can help to stabilize perfumesin watery products) and it can also help to disperse pigments more evenly in makeup products. And that is still not all: it can also boost the antimicrobial activity of preservatives.
Lecithin - goodie
What-it-does: emollient, emulsifying
A very common ingredient that can be found inall cell membranes. In cosmetics it's quite the multi-tasker: it's an emollient and water-binding ingredient but it's also an emulsifier and can be used for stabilization purposes. It's also often used to create liposomes.
Sorbitan Isostearate
What-it-does: emulsifying | Irritancy: 0 | Comedogenicity: 1-2
A handy helper ingredient that helps water and oil to mix nicely together, aka emulsifier. It is especially recommended for protective, baby care and general purpose emollient creams.
It also helps to disperse insoluble particles (think color pigments or zinc/titanium dioxide sunscreen) nice and even in cosmetic formulas.
Carbomer
What-it-does: viscosity controlling, emulsion stabilising | Irritancy: 0 | Comedogenicity: 1
A big molecule created from repeated subunits (a polymer of acrylic acid) that magically converts a liquidinto a nice gel formula. It usually has to be neutralized with a base (such as sodium hydroxide) for the thickening to occur and it creates viscous, clear gels that also feel nice and non-tacky on the skin. No wonder, it is a very popular and common ingredient. Typically used at 1% or less in most formulations.
Sclerotium Gum
What-it-does: viscosity controlling, emulsion stabilising
A big sugar molecule (polysaccharide) that is used as a natural thickening and gelling agent. It is similar to more commonly used Xanthan Gum, and the two are also often combined to create gel formulas or to stabilize emulsions.
Xanthan Gum
What-it-does: viscosity controlling, emulsion stabilising
It's one of the most commonly used thickeners and emulsion stabilizers. If the product is too runny, a little xanthan gum will make it more gel-like.Used alone, it can make the formula sticky and it is a good team player so it is usually combined with other thickeners and so-calledrheology modifiers (helper ingredients that adjust the flow and thus the feel of the formula). The typical use level of Xantha Gum is below 1%, it is usually in the 0.1-0.5% range.
Btw, Xanthan gum is all natural, a chain of sugar molecules (polysaccharide) produced from individual sugar molecules (glucose and sucrose) via fermentation. It’s approved by Ecocert and also used in the food industry(E415).
Sodium Lactate - goodie
What-it-does: buffering, moisturizer/humectant
The sodium salt oflactic acid. It's a great skin moisturizer and also used to regulate the pH value of the cosmetic formula. It's a natural ingredient approved by bothECOCERT and COSMOS.
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
A type of bucket or donut-shaped molecule with a water-loving outer side and an oil-loving inner side that is used mostly to encapsulate other actives in cosmetics.
Malic Acid - goodie
What-it-does: exfoliant, buffering
Malic acid comes from apple and is an AHA. If these magic three letters don’t tell you anything, click here and read our detailed description on glycolic acid, the most famous AHA.
So malic acid is an exfoliant, that can - just like other AHAs - gently lift off the dead skin cells of your skin and make it more smooth and fresh.
There is not much research out there about malic acid itself. We could find one comparative study, thatcompared the effectiveness of glycolic acid, lactic acid, citric acid and malic acid. The first two ones were the winners while malic and citric acid were less effective.
Dextran
What-it-does: viscosity controlling
We don't have description for this ingredient yet.
Caprylyl Glycol
What-it-does: moisturizer/humectant, emollient, deodorant
It’s a handy multi-tasking ingredient that gives the skin a nice, soft feel. At the same time, it also boosts the effectiveness of other preservatives, such as the nowadays super commonly used phenoxyethanol.
The blend of these two (caprylyl glycol + phenoxyethanol) is called Optiphen, which not only helps to keep your cosmetics free from nasty things for a long time but also gives a good feel to the finished product. It's a popular duo.
Ethylhexylglycerin
What-it-does: preservative, deodorant
If you have spottedethylhexylglycerinon the ingredient list, most probably you will see there also the current IT-preservative,phenoxyethanol. They are good friends becauseethylhexylglycerincan boost the effectiveness of phenoxyethanol (and other preservatives) and as an added bonus it feels nice on the skin too.
Also,it's an effective deodorant and a medium spreadingemollient.
Phenoxyethanol
What-it-does: preservative
It’s pretty much the current IT-preservative. It’s safe and gentle, but even more importantly, it’s not a feared-by-everyone-mostly-without-scientific-reason paraben.
It’s not something new: it was introduced around 1950 and today it can be used up to 1% worldwide. It can be found in nature - in green tea - but the version used in cosmetics is synthetic.
Other than having a good safety profile and being quite gentle to the skin it has some other advantages too. It can be used in many types of formulations as it has great thermal stability (can be heated up to 85°C) and works on a wide range of pH levels (ph 3-10).
It’s often used together with ethylhexylglycerin as it nicely improves the preservative activity of phenoxyethanol.
