You see words like this included in a list of skin care ingredients and you stop! You might assume that this is some nasty chemical ingredient to be avoided. But phenoxyethanol is a versatile, naturally occurring preservative derived from green tea. It’s effective at a broad range of pH values. Unlike some preservatives, phenoxyethanol does not cause the release of formaldehyde. It is also registers as “non-reactive” with other ingredients, light, and even air!

Phenoxyethanol is effective at preservation against gram-negative bacteria. It is considered safe in formulas containing 1% or less.