All of our body butters and moisturisers contain phenoxyethanol.
Our products have recently all undergone rigorous safety testing in line with recent EU legislation, and as such one or two tweaks to formulas have been necessary from the original formulas from 15 years ago, to ensure a lengthened stability period and also a longer preservative period, as required by the safety assessors.
Regarding phenoxyethanol, which is a preservative, we (as with all ingredients) follow the advice of the safety experts, who ensure that ingredients are always used in the correct amounts to ensure safety before they are tested and passed. This information on the ingredients may be of assistance, along with the citations.
The safety of phenoxyethanol has been assessed by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel several times. This group evaluated the foundational scientific data plus the newer relevant data and concluded that phenoxyethanol is safe as a cosmetic ingredient. Interestingly, although the phenoxyethanol used in skincare products is almost always synthetic, this chemical occurs naturally in green tea.
In short, phenoxyethanol is considered a safe and effective preservative when used in amounts approved for use in leave-on or rinse-off cosmetics products.
References for this information:
Cosmetics & Toiletries, 2014, issue 5, pages 24-27
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, April 2011, issue 2, pages 190-196
Acta Anatomica, 1989, issue 2, 155-8