Science Behind the Beauty: What You Need to Know About Preservatives
March 08, 2017
Beauty preservatives are substances which are added to cosmetic products to hinder the development of bacteria. There are both synthetic and natural beauty preservatives Even organic skincare and makeup lines use natural preservatives like Rosemary Extract and Vitamin E to extend the life of their products. If a cosmetic line does not use preservatives, especially in products containing water, these products are potentially dangerous because they expire so quickly!
Common Synthetic Beauty Preservatives
Benzyl Alcohol*
Phenoxyethanol*
Tetrasodium EDTA
Parabens
Salicylic Acid
Potassium Sorbate
DMDM Hydantoin
Sodium Benzoate*
Gluconolactone*
Chlorphenism
Triclosan
Imidazolidinyl Urea
Diazolidinyl Urea
Sorbic Acid
Methylisothiazolinone
Sodium
Dehydroacetate
Dehydroacetic Acid
Quaternium – 15
Stearalkonium
Chloride
Zinc Pyrithione
Sodium Metabisulfite
Chlorhexidine
Digluconate
Benzalkonium Chloride
Sodium Sulfite
Sodium Salicylate
Citric Acid
Lactic Acid
Common Natural Beauty Preservatives
Essential Oils
Neem Oil
Sweet Orange Oil
Vitamin E
Rosemary Extract
Radish Root*
Grapeseed Extract
Potassium Sorbate*
Vitamin E (Tocopherol)
*Most frequently used in Glo Skin Beauty's makeup range.
Are Beauty Preservatives Safe?
Without preservatives, the life of your cosmetic products would be dramatically reduced.Your makeup and skincare products, can spoil and be contaminated just like food. There can be no safe or non-toxic cosmetic without preservatives. For example, when you dip your fingers into a jar of cream, if you haven’t washed your hands directly before use, you could be introducing harmful bacteria into your cream. Preservatives help to prevent bacteria from irritating and damaging your skin! Plus, preservatives only make up between 0.1% to 1% of your products, so a minuscule amount.