Phenoxyethanol: K-beauty ingredient guide 페녹시에탄올
⏱ 1 min read
⚡ Quick answer: Not an active. Phenoxyethanol is the preservative doing the unglamorous work of stopping your essence from turning into a petri dish, and Korea, the EU and Japan all cap it at 1%. It has a long safety record at that level. A product with water and no preservation system is a worse gamble than any preservative.
Not an active. Phenoxyethanol is the preservative doing the unglamorous work of stopping your essence from turning into a petri dish, and Korea, the EU and Japan all cap it at 1%. It has a long safety record at that level. A product with water and no preservation system is a worse gamble than any preservative.
What Phenoxyethanol does for your skin
- Keeps a water-containing product from growing bacteria and mould
- Works across the pH range Korean formulas actually use
🌌 Phenoxyethanol compatibility map
Tap any ingredient to open its guide. ━ pairs well · ┈ use with care.
🤰 Pregnancy: Generally considered fine — confirm with your doctor. · ⏰ Use: BOTH
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✍️ Written & reviewed by the KoreaPlus Editorial team — dermatologist-informed, cosmetic-science researched & source-cited. Last reviewed: 2026-08-23.
General educational information using cosmetic structure-function wording — not medical advice. Always patch-test new actives. © KoreaPlus.