Preservatives In Cosmetics – Natural vs Synthetic
An Example: Phenoxyethynol is created by treating phenol with ethylene oxide in an alkaline medium. Each ingredient individually does not sound great, but when they react it creates a safe and effective preservative. Individually many chemicals may harm you, but together they create a beneficial product. For instance, lye alone is extremely dangerous, but after it reacts with oil and water to create castile soap it is harmless and useful. The MSDS for a pure ingredient can cause undo alarm. But as you consider other ingredients that are widely used and safe in cosmetics you will find that the MSDS sounds alarming for them as well. For instance commonly used ingredients like glycolic acid, lye, citric acid, potassium sorbate and even essential oils have MSDS warnings that could be misunderstood and deemed as too dangerous to use in cosmetics. However, we all know that these ingredients are commonly used in cosmetics and some as natural preservatives. The MSDS sheet is designed to inform the end user of how to handle the ingredient properly in an undiluted form.
The Great Debate: Is There a Natural Preservative?
•Plant extracts can be effective
•Citric and malic acids are effective at higher concentrations
•Glycols derived from plants, not petroleum.
•Essential oils and tannins in herbal extracts make effective antimicrobials. These include spice oils such as tumeric oil, rosemary oil, oils from the family of mints and lavenders, and the essential oils of cinnamon, clove, oregano, thyme, pepper, sage, lemon balm, green tea, and Neem leaf extracts have been cited as effective ingredients, particularly when used as blends.
•Grain alcohol is a wonderful preservative. It works at low levels to kill most germs.
•In addition to using a preservative system, companies also try to reduce the amount of water in a formula. Glycerin is one natural ingredient suggested to reduce the water and its activity.
•Adjusting the pH level of a formula is another way to prevent bacteria growth. Products with a pH around the 6, 7, and 8 range tend to be more biologically active. If you formulate with a lower or higher pH, there is less bacteria growth.
Make Your Own Lotion: Preservatives
The preservative wars
Curbing microbial growth
Although some factions clamor for “preservative-free” products, most formulators agree that some type of preservative is essential to curb the growth of microorganisms. Because cosmetics have plentiful water and nutrients, as well as a hospitable pH and temperature, products such as lotions, creams, and makeup are potential breeding grounds for microorganisms. Bacteria, yeasts, and molds may be introduced during the manufacture or packaging of a product, or by the consumer during normal use
Improperly preserved personal care products can cause skin irritation, infections, blindness, and even serious illness or death. In 2006, five intensive-care patients at a hospital in Barcelona, Spain, contracted life-threatening infections with the bacterium Burkholderia cepacia. Their illnesses were ultimately traced to a moisturizing body milk used in the patients’ care. Researchers detected the bacterium in unopened bottles of the body milk.
Preservatives help maintain product integrity by killing microorganisms. Most preservatives are active against a single type of microbe. For example, parabens are most effective at killing fungi (yeasts and molds), whereas formaldehyde donors (discussed below) target bacteria. “No single preservative is equally effective against all types of microorganisms,” says Philip Geis, principal consultant at Geis Microbiological Services in Gainesville, Florida, USA. “As a result, a mixture of preservatives is often used by formulators to ensure that a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity exists.
Avoid Smash Cosmetics Like the Plague - Health Hazard!!!
There are some that formulate the so called, 'all natural' skincare, such as creams, lotions and serums that are not emulsified with water or distillates, so they feel this allows them to have preservative free skincare products. Although it is part true, it is still not a guarantee of safety! So, if a skincare formulator makes the claim they don't use water or distillates, move on, because once you open a jar or bottle which allows humidity or the touching of damp fingers to enter the emulsion, whether it is body scrubs, body butters, face creams or masques, it is now contaminated and the multiplying of bacteria grows exponentially. It only takes a trace amount of water to begin the growth process and it won't matter their claim.
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