Phenoxyethanol in skin care is used as a preservative. Although the kind of phenoxyethanol used in skin care is synthetic (known as “nature identical,” it mimics the natural version exactly), phenoxyethanol is actually found in nature, specifically in green tea and chicory. It makes sure yeast, mold, and bacteria don’t develop and ultimately, end up on your skin!http://www.waqiangda.com/phenoxyethanol/