What are preservatives and what role do they play in cosmetics?

There are many conflicting opinions about preservatives added to cosmetics. Some say they are carcinogens that should be avoided. Others believe that these supplements have no effect on the human body. Who's right? What exactly are preservatives used in cosmetics , how do they work, what are their types and why are they used? Let's look for an answer.

What are preservatives in cosmetics?

In Latin, the word conservo means I preserve. As the name implies, a preservative is an agent that preserves and maintains certain properties of products, such as: cosmetics, varnishes, paints or perishable food. Preservatives are resistant to microorganisms, fungi, bacteria, acidic or alkaline pH.

The definition of preservatives can be found in international legal acts, for example in Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on cosmetic products. In the Regulation, the term preservative means any substance which is intended solely or mainly to inhibit the growth of microorganisms in a cosmetic product.

Preservatives in cosmetics: action

Most cosmetics contain natural ingredients, which under the influence of heat, light, moisture or other factors begin to deteriorate and ferment. Preservatives are the only known way to preserve the properties of these products. How do preservatives used in cosmetics work? These additives inhibit putrefactive processes and the proliferation of harmful bacteria in creams, hygiene lotions and other articles that we use every day.

How do cosmetic preservatives work? Thanks to the fixing agents, the product retains the right consistency, smell, taste and other desired properties. The preservative preserves the remaining ingredients of the cosmetic and, as an additive resistant to decay and oxidation, effectively blocks the fermentation of individual components. The cosmetic can then have an extended shelf life, maintain the right consistency and, most importantly, do not irritate human skin.

Popular preservatives in cosmetics: types

Humanity has known and used preservatives for many hundreds of years, but it was only in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries that fixatives were added to cosmetics on a massive scale. Due to their origin, popular cosmetic preservatives can now be divided into 2 basic groups:

• substances of natural origin,
• artificial (synthetic) substances.

The first group of fixatives are natural agents obtained from plants, minerals or animals. The second consists of other substances, produced in laboratory conditions.

Natural preservatives in cosmetics - examples

One of the oldest preservatives used in the production of cosmetics were natural plant extracts and oils. To this day, herbs and extracts obtained from: sage, thyme, lavender and citrus are used on a large scale in the cosmetics industry. Additives such as thymol have a strong antioxidant and preservative effect.

Currently, natural cosmetics that do not contain artificial preservatives are on top. However, they must contain fixatives, otherwise they would quickly ferment. What are the preservatives in natural cosmetics ? In products marked as: eco or bio, there are most often: vitamin E, sodium chloride (i.e. salt) or vitamin C, derived from vegetables or fruits.

Artificial preservatives in cosmetics: what names are worth knowing?

In the aforementioned Regulation No. 1223/2009 (Annex 5) you can find a lot of information on the types and permissible content of synthetic preservatives in cosmetics . The list of these substances includes, among others:

• propionic acid and its salts,
• salicylic acid,
• aldehydes: formaldehyde, benzaldehyde, paraformaldehyde, acetaldehyde,
• triclosan,
• formic acid,
• parabens (i.e. esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid),
• formaldehyde (otherwise: formaldehyde, methanal),
• formic acid,
• chlorobutanol,
• methenamine,
• 2,4-dichlorobenzyl alcohol.

The above list, of course, does not contain the names of all artificial preservatives used in the industrial production of cosmetics. It is also worth knowing about the group of fixatives called phenols, which includes the already mentioned thymol or eugenol, obtained artificially from plants.

Applications of cosmetic preservatives

Nowadays, it is standard that manufacturers operating in the beauty industry use preservatives in cosmetics on an industrial scale. The properties of these substances deserve recognition. Thanks to natural or artificial fixatives, cosmetics such as creams, gels, liquids, shampoos, fluids or balms can stay on a shelf at home or in a store for many weeks without losing any of their effectiveness.

Cosmetic preservatives are present in almost every product intended for personal hygiene and styling of the face, nails or hair. They can be found in the composition of deodorants, masks, mascaras, shaving foams and make-up removing milks. The fixing properties of alcohols and acids are also used by companies in the perfume industry, producers of toilet waters, perfumes and other fragrance compositions.

Preservatives banned in cosmetic production

Some preservatives have a harmful effect on the human body. Such substances can cause irritation, poisoning, hives and other unpleasant ailments and chronic skin diseases, including cancer! The group of toxic preservatives that must not be used in the production of cosmetics in the European Union includes, among others: aromatic hydrocarbon - benzene and chlorine. In the cosmetics industry, the list of banned intermediates also includes formaldehyde, which, when administered in too high a concentration, is irritating to the eye mucosa and the respiratory system.

What are safe preservatives in cosmetics?

It is not true that all preservatives added to cosmetics are on the black list of intermediates that cause cancer or allergies. There are many preservatives of natural or artificial origin that are safe for the body and do not adversely affect the human body, because:

• their concentration does not exceed the permissible standards,
• come from proven producers who apply the principles of Good Manufacturing Practice.

What distinguishes high-quality fixatives for cosmetics? First of all, they do not change the smell or color of the product with which they are combined. Such substances do not irritate human skin and do not react with other ingredients of the product (for example under the influence of changes in temperature, pH or insolation). Safe preservatives are also biodegradable, which means that they do not contribute to environmental contamination.