Preservation
Phenoxyethanol
What it is
A widely used cosmetic preservative, present in our formulas at 0.01–1%.
Why it is here
It keeps a water-containing formula safe over its shelf life. In the mascara this matters most: bacterial growth in a product used near the eyes is a real risk, and we would rather name a preservative than accept that risk.
What you may notice
- —Keeps the formula stable for its stated shelf life
Sourcing
Used at 0.01–1%. We take the position that naming it is more honest than an unnamed preservation system, and we tell you which products avoid it entirely.
In some formulas, not others
Phenoxyethanol is in Blur + Set and in the mascara. The Liquid Foundation and the Perfecting Primer are preserved with named botanicals instead — oregano, thyme, olive leaf, rosemary, lavender and goldenseal.
See Nutrient-Rich Full-Coverage Liquid Foundation instead →Questions we get
- Why use phenoxyethanol at all?
- Because two of our formulas contain water, and near the eyes an unpreserved water formula is unsafe. We use the smallest effective amount and print it in the list.
Others in Preservation
