Safe preservatives in cosmetics

Cosmetic companies try to create products that are superior to other cosmetic companies to provide skin care to their customers. However, cosmetics must retain their properties for quite a long time. Therefore, preservatives are often included in its composition.

One of the main components of any cosmetics is water, which is necessary for our skin. However, the same water is an excellent environment for the development of absolutely all bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms, which either reduce the effectiveness of such cosmetics or even cause various types of infections.

Despite the fact that technologies in cosmetology are constantly being improved, preservatives continue to be used so that the main cosmetic ingredients can effectively act on the skin for a sufficiently long time.

The main characteristic of all preservatives is how they affect microorganisms that appear in cosmetics. There are two types of preservatives:

• Phenols, alcohols, as well as acids and their salts.

• Aldehydes, halogen or mercury derivatives.

Preservatives included in cosmetics must meet the following requirements:

• Act on a wide range of microorganisms, be active in small quantities, be water soluble and not soluble in oil.

• Not be toxic, sensitizing or irritating, odorless and colorless.

• Be chemically inert, resistant to oxygen, light and high temperature.

• Interact with ingredients included in cosmetics.

How safe are these preservatives? This is one of the most controversial issues. Previously, preservatives often led to allergies and irritations. Also, recent studies have shown that preservatives can cause skin diseases.

The most popular preservatives in cosmetics

1. Parabens. These are esters of hydroxybenzoic acid, which are moderately soluble in water and highly soluble in propylene glycol. They have high antifungal effectiveness, however, weak antibacterial effect. They are often used along with other preservatives. If used in acceptable quantities, parabens are not harmful, but if this amount is exceeded, they can penetrate the lymph through the skin.

2. Formaldehyde. In cosmetics, it is most often present in the form of a 37% formaldehyde solution, which is effective in the fight against fungi and bacteria. However, if this substance is present in cosmetics in larger quantities, manufacturers should warn about this on the label, since such cosmetics can cause various skin problems.

3. Halides. They usually contain chlorine or fluorine. And although such substances exist in nature, they are included in cosmetics in the form of synthetic fibers. They have a high antimicrobial effect, but they can cause irritation and allergies. Cosmetics that contain finylmercuric salts and thimerosal can only be used in cosmetics intended for makeup removal.

4. A combination of several products can expand the activity of their action and increase the safety of such cosmetics for the consumer, because in this case it is possible to reduce the dose of each component.

5. The latest innovation in the cosmetics market is biocosmetics using natural preservatives, which must also meet certain requirements and be used in the appropriate form and concentration. However, the shelf life of such cosmetics is short, it is only twelve to thirteen weeks.

Natural cosmetic preservatives

1. Since ancient times, acidic compounds have been added to cosmetics to extend the shelf life. Most often it was acetic, lactic or citric acids, most suitable for the skin.

2. Benzoic acid should be used in a concentration of 0.2-0.4%. It is very effective against yeast and fungi, but it is also effective against bacteria. Benzoic acid is resistant to ultraviolet radiation and high temperatures.

3. Sorbic acid. This preservative inhibits the growth of yeast, pathogens and mold, and is resistant to oxidative and ultraviolet attack. Glycolic and salicylic acids have antifungal activity.

4. Plant oil extracts can also extend the shelf life of cosmetic products. Essential oils have antifungal and antibacterial properties, especially thyme, tea tree, clove, lavender, sage, cinnamon and rosemary essential oils.

5. Ethyl alcohol. One of the oldest and most effective preservatives, it increases the solubility of some compounds in water. This is especially true for aromatic oils, which enhance the effect of cosmetics. However, alcohol should be added in minimal quantities, because if you overdo it, it will cause irritation and dry skin.

6. Silver. This is probably the most famous ancient preservative with antifungal and bactericidal effects. Silver nanoparticles are included in many cosmetic products; they are safe even for the most sensitive skin.

7. Tocopherol or vitamin E. This is a natural preservative for fat emulsions. The vitamin blunts oxidation processes, so the shelf life of products increases. Cosmetics containing this ingredient have a moisturizing and antioxidant effect.

8. No preservatives. Cosmetics that do not contain preservatives can be stored for only eight to fourteen days. If the container of such a product has a dispenser, then this period can be extended to twenty days if it is stored in the refrigerator.

The composition of cosmetics also greatly affects its storage. For example, if cosmetics contain protein (elastin or collagen), then they can be stored for no more than seven days. Therefore, even if the packaging says that cosmetics are free of preservatives, this does not mean that they are not there at all. Rather, this indicates the manufacturer’s dishonesty.

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The production of modern cosmetics containing a large number of various beneficial ingredients is impossible without the use of high-quality preservatives. But these essential components can be either neutral or have a negative effect on the skin.

There are four types of preservatives:

1. safe natural;
2. safe synthetic;
3. dangerous.

Let's take a closer look at them.

Safe natural cosmetic preservatives

Absolutely safe cosmetic preservatives of natural origin that practically do not cause allergies, and therefore are often used in the production of children's and organic cosmetics, include:

1. sorbic acid – Sorbic acid (E200);
2. potassium sorbate – Potassium Sorbate (E202);
3. calcium sorbate – Calcium sorbate (E203);
4. sodium sorbate – Sodium Sorbate (E201);
5. acetic acid – Acetic acid (E260);
6. caprylic acid diol – Caprylyl Glycol;
7. acetic acid salts – Calcium acetate (E263), Potassium acetate (E261), Sodium acetate (E262).

The substances listed above are considered the best eco-preservatives that can prevent the “fermentation” of various cosmetics without causing negative reactions on the skin.

Safe synthetic preservatives in cosmetics

Among preservatives that are produced using biochemical synthesis, there are safe components that are considered low-toxic and characterized by a fairly low or average sensitization index, indicating the likelihood of skin irritation after the accumulation of a critical amount of the substance in the skin.

These include:

1. various parabens (esters or salts of parahydroxybenzoic acid) – Methylparaben – Sodium methyl para-hydroxybenzoate (E218, E-219), Ethylparaben – Sodium ethyl para-hydroxybenzoate (E214, E215), Propylparaben – Sodium propyl para-hydroxybenzoate (E216, E217 );
2. sodium benzoate – Sodium benzoate (E211);
3. calcium benzoate – Calcium benzoate (E213);
4. potassium benzoate – Potassium benzoate (E212);
5. biphenyl – Biphenyl, diphenyl (E230);
6. benzoic acid – Benzoicacid (E210);
7. thiabendazole (E233);
8. orthophenylphenol - Orthophenylphenol (E231);
9. orthophenylphenol sodium salt – Sodiumorthophenylphenol (E232).

Parabens, which have an absolutely neutral effect on both adult and children’s skin, have recently been unfairly accused of “all mortal sins.” This is caused by some inciting panic among journalists who are prone to such assumptions, and, accordingly, by the need to promote the trend of paraben-free cosmetics. In fact, there are no scientific studies confirming the harmful effects of parabens on the body, but their safety is known due to the low sensitization index of only 0.35.

Dangerous cosmetic preservatives

Substances that can harm the skin or even the entire body in one way or another include:

1. methylisothiazolinone (methylisothiazolinone) and methylchloroisothiazolinone
2. (methylchloroisothiazolinone);
3. bronopol, listed in the ingredients as 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol, Bronosol, Lexgard bronopol; in-bromo-in-nitrotrimethylene glycol, Onyx >formaldehyde and the so-called "formaldehyde donors", indicated in the composition as Formaldehyde (E240), Bronidox, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Hydantoin DMDM, 2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1,3-Diol, Quaternium-15, Diazolidinyl-Harnstoff, Diazolidinyl-Urea;
4. sulfur dioxide – Sulfur dioxide (E220);
5. sodium sulfite – Sodium sulphite (E221);
6. sodium hydrosulfite – Sodiumbisulphite (sodiumhydrogensulphite) E222;
7. sodium pyrosulfite – Sodiummetabisulphite (E223);
8. potassium pyrosulfite – Potassium metabisulphite (E224);
9. calcium sulfite – Calciumsulphite (E226);
10. calcium hydrosulfite – Calcium hydrogen sulphite (E227);
11. hexamethylenetegramine – Hexamethylene tetramine (E239);
12. potassium nitrite – Potassium nitrite (E249);
13. sodium nitrite – Sodium nitrite (E250);
14. potassium nitrate – Sodium nitrate (E251);
15. sodium nitrate – Potassium nitrate (E252).

The first three are the most dangerous.

Methylisothiazolinone allows you to preserve cosmetics with any composition due to a strongly expressed preservative effect, but it has a high sensitization index of 9. Due to this, it can cause irritation, allergies and even serious dermatitis.

Bronopol with a sensitization index of 13 has an even worse effect on the skin, in addition, it easily enters into various reactions with other components of cosmetics.

Formaldehyde donors themselves are not considered toxic substances, but often decompose directly in a tube or jar of cosmetics, directly releasing one of the most dangerous carcinogens - formaldehyde.

Important nuance! It is better to completely avoid leave-in cosmetics that contain dangerous preservatives!

The permissible concentration of such substances in wash-off cosmetics is their content of no more than 0.01%, however, no brands indicate the exact percentage composition of their products, since this is a trade secret. To roughly determine how much of any dangerous preservative is contained in a particular cosmetic product, you should take a close look at exactly where in the list of ingredients this substance appears.

Manufacturers indicate all components of the composition in descending order of their concentration in cosmetics. Therefore, if a harmful preservative is in the first two-thirds of the list of ingredients, it is better to refuse the purchase, since there is a high probability that the amount of the dangerous substance exceeds the permissible limit. If a preservative is listed in the last third of the list or even at the end, you can use this product, remembering to rinse it off thoroughly.

All of the above applies only to cosmetics that contain only one of the harmful preservatives. When multiple toxic substances are present, their ability to negatively affect the skin and the entire body increases.

Combinations of bronopol with other harmful substances are considered especially dangerous, since it has the ability to quickly enter into chemical reactions, resulting in the formation of nitrosamines, which are toxic compounds with mutagenic properties. They are most often labeled in cosmetics as diethanolamide (DEA) and monoethanolamide (MEA).

When choosing cosmetics for professional or home use, you should definitely take into account what preservatives they contain. And if safe substances in acceptable quantities should not cause concern, then it is better to avoid purchasing a cream, mask or tonic with dangerous components.

The task of cosmetics is to protect, moisturize and solve skin problems, maintain its health and freshness. Today, for this purpose, a large number of different ingredients are added to skin care cosmetics. But for the product to be effective, just a competent combination of active ingredients is not enough. In order for a cosmetic product to retain its benefits, be safe and not change its appearance, smell and consistency for quite a long period after opening the jar, manufacturers are forced to add preservatives.

Preservatives are chemical substances that destroy or prevent contamination of cosmetic products by microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, including yeast). Microorganisms that get into cosmetics can significantly affect its composition, lead to product decomposition, and also release toxins.

Is it possible to produce cosmetics without using preservatives?

This issue worries an increasing number of women. In fact, this is possible, but only at home, if you prepare cosmetics for one time, because they cannot be stored. For example, you made a useful face mask, but you will have to throw away the leftovers: you cannot leave them until the next procedure, because they will spoil even in the refrigerator.

If we talk about production on an industrial scale: be it food, medicines, cosmetics, then the use of preservatives is mandatory.

Products containing water without preservatives can be stored for a maximum of 3 days. After this, they deteriorate and, at best, lose their beneficial properties; at worst, they can cause harm to the consumer.

But, as you understand, in the context of globalization, 3 days is catastrophically not enough, which means that preservatives should always be included in cosmetics.

Composition of cosmetics: what are the preservatives?

Preservatives in cosmetic products are divided into two categories:
• Synthetic – substances produced by chemical synthesis (these include parabens, formaldehydes, isothiazolinone and urea derivatives);
• Natural. These include extracts from plants. This same group of preservatives includes potassium and sodium sorbates, salicylic and sorbic acids, benzoic acid and its salts.

The group of natural preservatives also includes various oils and plant extracts, for example, birch leaf extract or grapefruit seed extract.

Also, cosmetics often include beekeeping products that have antifungal properties (propolis, wax). Sea salt, oil solutions of vitamins A, C, E and ethyl alcohol can also be added.

The role of natural preservatives in cosmetic products of the Mesopharm Professional line

In the composition of cosmetic products of the Mesopharm Professional line from the Mesopharm company you can see natural preservatives, such as:

1. black cumin oil;
2. extracts of cinnamon, ginger and honeysuckle;
3. tea tree oil;
4. chaulmugra oil extract;
5. Sichuan pepper extract;
6. terminalia arjuna extract;
7. arjunic acid;
8. black cumin oil.

These ingredients in Mesopharm Professional cosmetics act not only as preservatives and protectants during storage, but are also active components that normalize the microflora on the surface of the skin, eliminate irritation and inflammation.

Composition of cosmetics: why the quality of preservatives matters

As we found out earlier, not a single skincare product can exist without preservatives. Therefore, it is fundamentally important which preservative the manufacturer uses and what its concentration is.

If we talk about natural preservatives, their peculiarity is that they act very gently and carefully, so they are not always able to protect cosmetics from microbial spoilage.

Therefore, the current concept of producing cosmetics without preservatives implies that chemical preservatives will be completely or partially replaced by natural ingredients. At the same time, if a chemical preservative is included in cosmetics, it must be safe and in a very small concentration.

Katon - innovation in the production of cosmetic products

Mesopharm uses katon, a thiazolinone derivative, as a synthetic preservative in the Mesopharm Professional line of cosmetic products. It is considered one of the achievements of the cosmetic industry, because today it is the only preservative that is approved for use in cosmetics in all countries of the world. It is even approved in Japan and the USA, where the laws governing the production of cosmetics and medications are the most stringent.

Advantages of katon:
• Caton is the safest and least toxic for humans, but at the same time it is highly effective against fungi and bacteria, even when used in small concentrations.

Interesting fact: for the same volume of cosmetic product you need tens of times less catone than parabens. Thus, thanks to katon, the concentration of preservative in the product is minimal.
• It does not cause allergic or intolerance reactions.
• Another advantage of katon is that it is destroyed when exposed to sunlight or at temperatures above 35 degrees.

Being part of the product, katon successfully performs the functions of a preservative, but when it gets on the skin, warming up to body temperature, it is destroyed without having any effect on the skin.

Preservatives today are a completely justified necessity, because a spoiled cosmetic product can harm your skin. Therefore, despite eco-trends, it is important to pay attention not only to the composition of cosmetics, the presence of a preservative, but also to its quality, and also to be interested in the main active ingredients.

Don’t forget that the task of preservatives is to enable us to use safe cosmetics that retain the benefits of active ingredients for quite a long period! And if we cannot avoid preservatives in cosmetics, perhaps it is better to choose products that contain them in the least amount?