Preservatives have always been such a hot topic surrounding the food we consume, but what about in your skincare products? There is a lack of regulation around ‘clean beauty’, where brands can claim to be 100% natural, when you’re not. So, we only thought it was fitting to address preservatives, because knowledge is power, and we want to empower you to make your own decisions about your skin. Plus, typically speaking, preservatives have never been a ‘good thing’ in our food, so let’s find out their role in our skincare and what to look out for.
So, what is a preservative in skincare?
A preservative in skincare can be naturally derived or synthetically derived. A natural preservative is made from “chemicals like salt and alcohol”, whereas “man-made or synthetic chemicals make up artificial preservatives” AKA synthetic. The role preservatives have in our skincare products are to “prevent the growth of harmful bacteria and mould”, as well as prevent any changes in skincare products such as colour and viscosity. The recommended usage percentage for a preservative in skincare is dependent on the preservative type, as some preservatives you require more of and some less of, but in general, it’s below “2.0%” of the formulation. I know, it can seem overwhelming as there are a variety of preservatives that can be used and it’s hard to know what is good and what isn’t, and when brands claim to be ‘100% natural’ even when really they’re using a synthetic preservative. So, it’s time to buckle up, we’re about to break this all down for you (and it’s ultra juicy).
When does a skincare product need a preservative?
I bet you thought every skincare product needed a preservative, right? Well, the short answer is no. It’s actually only water-based products that require a preservative, whereas 100% oil-based products and 100% powder-based products, which don’t contain water, don't actually require a preservative. Now for some science talk about why this is. The reason why water-based products require a preservative is because, “microorganisms grow readily in water”, microorganisms include bacteria and fungi. As you can see, water is creating an environment for bacteria and fungi to grow in. So, this shows if a water-based skincare product didn’t have a preservative in it, it would need to be kept in the fridge and likely only last a month or so before it would start to grow bacteria and fungi. So how do we prevent this from happening, and ensure our products are safe for a long shelf-life? It’s simple, we need a preservative. Whereas, these oil-based and powder-based products only require potent antioxidants in their formulas to prevent them from going rancid. Therefore, our (100% oil-based and powder-based) products like Oil Cleanse, Illume and Gold Dust, have been formulated with our selected potent antioxidants including rosemary extract, vitamin E, vitamin C and CoQ10. I tell you, knowledge is power, isn’t it?
Different types of preservatives:
As previously mentioned above, there are a variety of preservatives out there in the skincare space, both natural and synthetic. So, have a read below and keep an eye out for these, as they’re likely on your skincare products INCI list.
Synthetic preservatives:
Parabens / A synthetic group of related chemicals, which most commonly include, “methylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, and ethylparaben.” These “are synthesized by a traditional method through an acid–base reaction or esterification process, using p-hydroxybenzoic acid and an alcohol…” They assist in controlling and preventing harmful growth of bacteria and mould in your skincare products. However, they’re considered a nasty preservative as “parabens selectively accumulate in breast cancer tissue...”
Benzyl alcohol & Dehydroacetic a zcid / Synthetic chemicals which create a powerful broad-spectrum preservative system, with both antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. Benzyl alcohol is derived from “hydrolysis of benzyl chloride or hydrogenation of benzaldehyde”, and dehydroacetic acid is derived from “base-catalyzed dimerization of diketene is a long-established and efficient method for the preparation of dehydroacetic acid.” They assist in controlling and preventing harmful growth of bacteria, yeast, mould and fungi in your skincare products. They’re both also known for being one of the most sensitive friendly preservatives. They are ECOCERT & COSMOS certified (more on this below) to be used in natural skincare.
Sorbic acid & Potassium sorbate / Synthetic chemicals which create a powerful broad-spectrum preservative system, as together they’re effective against moulds and yeasts. Sorbic acid is derived from “condensation of ketene and 2-butenal,,,”, and potassium sorbate is derived from “reacting sorbic acid with potassium hydroxide.” They assist in controlling and preventing harmful growth of moulds and yeasts. They’re both also known for being one of the most sensitive friendly preservatives.
Sodium benzoate & Potassium sorbate / Synthetic chemicals which great a powerful broad-spectrum preservative system, as together they target yeasts and moulds. Sodium benzoate is derived from “combining benzoic acid and sodium hydroxide”, and potassium sorbate is derived from “reacting sorbic acid with potassium hydroxide.” They assist in controlling and preventing harmful growth of yeasts and moulds. Potassium sorbate is also known for being one of the most sensitive friendly preservatives.
Natural preservatives:
Natural phenethyl alcohol / A natural preservative which targets bacteria, fungi, yeast and mould. It is naturally derived from corn. This assists in controlling and preventing harmful growth of yeasts and moulds. It’s also known for being one of the most sensitive friendly preservatives.
Benzyl alcohol / A natural preservative which has powerful anti-bacterial properties. It is naturally derived from some fruits e.g., cranberries and apricots, but also some teas, plants and wine. This assists in controlling and preventing harmful growth of bacteria. It’s also known for being one of the most sensitive friendly preservatives.
Ethanol / A natural preservative which targets bacteria and fungi. It is naturally derived from fermented sugar or yeast. This assists in controlling and preventing harmful growth of bacteria and fungi.
Benzoic acid / A natural preservative which targets bacteria and fungi. It is natural derived from strawberries and cayenne pepper. This assists in controlling and preventing harmful growth of bacteria and fungi.
What is ECOCERT & COSMOS Certifications
There are two certifications a synthetic preservative is required to meet, in order to be approved to be used in natural skincare, these certifications show a synthetic preservative has been audited and approved as ethical and sustainable. ECOCERT & COSMOS certified means the ingredients are from natural origin except a restrictive approved ingredients list including preservatives authorised in small quantities. On average, ECOCERT certifies that products contain 99% ingredients of natural origin (except the restricted approved list), plus it guarantees and highlights the best environmentally friendly and socially conscious practices. Cool, right? Let’s take a look into our preservative system at Tailor, which has both certifications.
Our chosen preservative system:
Benzyl alcohol & Dehydroacetic acid
If you’ve ever had a look at our full INCI list, which you’ll see (transparently) on every product page, you’ll notice dehydroacetic acid and benzyl alcohol, which is our chosen preservative system. When we first launched 12 years ago, natural preservatives weren’t as available as they are now and we made the decision to use this system that had been tried and tested by other natural brands which were ECOCERT & COSMOS certified to be used in natural skincare. You’ll easily be able to locate this very commonly used preservative system in most natural skincare INCI lists, it is still widely used today. With the natural preservatives available to the market, the reason we have not switched over is due to the lack of clinical data and other brands using these natural alternatives. Alongside the certifications, we’ve chosen to stick with our preservative system as it has been tried and tested to be safe in our skincare products and continues to be widely used by other natural skincare brands, and safety for our customer’s is paramount.
These two chosen preservatives across our range are only used in our water-based products, including Gel Cleanse, Polish, Renew, Hydrate, Awaken, Moisture and Restore. We use them at the recommended concentration (dw, its a low % of the formulation) for example Awaken is 99.2% natural, and the preservative is 0.8%. We’ve chosen this preservative system because, as mentioned above, benzyl alcohol is a powerful broad-spectrum anti-bacterial, which is designed to combat bacterial growth, and is also a multi-purpose ingredient (think Tailor), as it helps dissolve other ingredients and decreases the viscosity (thickness) of formulas so they flow more easily. Whereas, dehydroacetic acid is a potent anti-fungal, which is designed to combat fungi growth. When both of our chosen preservatives are mixed (& matched) together, they create a broad-spectrum preservative against bacteria, yeasts, moulds and fungi.
How do we know that the preservatives are working in our skincare?
Testing, testing, testing. This is how we know that preservatives are working in our skincare products and how long our products will last once they are manufactured. We call this challenge testing, this is when we test if our preservative system is working at different stages of time to determine the product shelf life and whether the product is safe. During this process, they inject our product with high levels of bacteria, moulds or yeast and observe it over a 28-day period to see if the preservative system is working, by reducing the count of the added microbes. This then provides our base report and this same sample is then put into an oven in the lab to age, and then it is sent to be challenge tested under the same conditions to see if the aged sample works as well as it did when it was first made at time-zero. Because, not only does the product need to be stable it also needs to be safe. If you are wondering, yes all Tailor products passed with flying colours.
Brands that claim to be 100% natural, are they greenwashing?
If a skincare brand uses the same preservative system as Tailor in their skincare range, AKA benzyl alcohol & dehydroacetic acid, as it’s super common in natural skincare, but claim their 100% natural, emphasis on 100%, then you know this is not true and you’re being greenwashed. Greenwashing is when a brand provides you with misleading information and unsubstantiated claims e.g., 100% natural, which then leads you to believe that they must be 100% natural when they may not be as you don’t require any credentials to make that claim. You’ll be able to expose this greenwashing by referring to a skincare product’s INCI list, more on how to decipher this below. In Tailor’s case, we like to be fully transparent with you and all information can be found on our product pages. If you ever have any questions that you can’t find please reach out to us via our online chat.
How to identify what the preservatives in skincare products are:
All skincare products come with an INCI list, AKA International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient, this is either listed on the product packaging or the product bottle / tube itself. However, lucky for you we have a handy tool for you to find out all the goss on each ingredient used in your skincare product, including preservatives. This tool is called INCI Decoder. It’s really simple, all you need to do is type into the search bar, the product brand and name e.g., Tailor Skincare Moisture and you’ll get a breakdown of each ingredient name with a description, if it's not in the system, you can copy the full INCI list from the product page into the search bar and it should show. And there you have it, you now have the knowledge to make your own decisions about your skin.
Is it just me, or does this make you realise the *lack* of regulation around ‘clean beauty’ and how brands can get away with claiming their 100% natural, when they’re not. Knowledge really is power, and lucky for you, you have your skincare experts, who want to empower you to make your own decisions with your skin. So, stick with us and we’ll make sure you are well educated here so you know when you’re being ‘misled’ in the skincare space.
Talk soon,
Tailor x
References:
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(n.d.). #24 Sorbic Acid. USDA. https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/Sorbic%20acid%20report.pdf
(n.d.). Potassium Sorbate. Ecostore. https://ecostore.com/nz/ingredients/used-with-care/potassium-sorbate#:~:text=Potassium%20sorbate%20is%20a%20synthetic,by%20more%20sustainable%20synthetic%20methods
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(n.d.). Natural Preservatives For Skin Care Products: Everything You Need To Know Before Creating Your Natural Skin Care Line. Trilogy Laboratories. https://trilogylaboratories.com/natural-preservatives-for-skin-care-products/#:~:text=Natural%20preservatives%20are%20preservative%20ingredients,jasmine%2C%20ylang%2Dylang
(n.d.). Decode ingredient lists like a pro. INCIDecoder. https://incidecoder.com/