Q:
Is there a perfect preservative, either natural or synthetic,
for cosmetics and personal care products?
A: No.
Is this an unsatisfactory, disappointing, unacceptable,
infuriating answer? In this day and age, can’t we do better? Oh,
we are always doing better – today better than yesterday,
tomorrow will be surely better than today, but ‘perfect
preservative’ sounds like contradiction in terms: a hero and a
villain, all in one?
In order to understand preservatives more clearly, and the
expectations placed on them, a journey down a rabbit hole may be
necessary. But - how far down that rabbit hole do we want to go? There are no simple answers (other than the one above), instead,
there is a lot to learn, which may not provide a satisfying
answer anywhere along the journey. The rabbit-hole metaphor is
perfect for our times, and it has to do with a simple premise
many of us face every day – how much do we really want to know
about certain things?
Let’s find out.
In my previous article ‘Tempest In a Jar’ I explained, among
other things, why the need for preservation in skin care
products. I will go over it again briefly:
Bacteria and molds thrive on water, which is the major component
of all creams. There are other nutrients in face creams that
they like as well, but without water there is no life, not for
us and not for micro-organisms either. If there were no
preservatives in cosmetics, microbes would proliferate at
tremendous acceleration (slowed down somewhat if the product is
refrigerated) and sooner rather than later, in fact very soon,
the product will go bad. Which means that using it would pose a
health risk to a person’s skin. A product without any
preservatives has a short shelf life, which can be estimated at
around a week, or two, this period varying slightly. While there
are microbes all around us, even inside our bodies, some of them
are classified as pathogens, which means that they can turn
nasty if given a chance.
If you prepare your own masks and potions at home for your own
use, from ingredients in your kitchen pantry or a few you have
purchased from your health food store, you definitely don’t need
preservatives. You’ve made a small batch for a few days, you
keep it in the fridge and there is nothing to worry about. However, if you give some of that product to your friend, or
even sell it to her, and then word gets around and she takes
some for a friend of a friend and so on, you will come up
against some very tall obstacles: you may repeat it until you
are blue, or even write it on your hand-made label that the
product will go bad in three days, but the chances are that
somebody will forget the instructions, forget to even use the
product, never put it in the fridge, a child may open it and
like the yuck inside enough to do with it who knows what, and
soon enough the mess outside of the jar will be far greater than
the one inside. It is, or it should be, a basic credo of any
manufacturer to make the best possible product that is safe to
use.
And here we come across the word that is pivotal in the
chess-game played at the bottom of this particular hole: ‘safe’.
The sticky issue with preservatives is their safety. They can’t
be safe for microorganisms, because then they are useless. They
must be safe for humans, otherwise they are toxic. The product
without preservatives is not safe to use. The product with
preservatives may be safe to use, in terms of being germ-free,
but it might be toxic if the preservatives used aren’t safe, or
are used in too high a concentration, or...
In order to alleviate the confusion that has already been
stirred, I will proceed with the article by dividing it into two
sections:
1. Review of preservatives and their place in today’s world
2. Focus on natural preservatives.
Us & Them
The hypothetical situation above involving you making your own
potion and then selling it to your friend had another purpose
than the mere illustration of things getting messy quickly
without preservatives. The intent behind it was to put you in a
position where you will feel the responsibility for what you
have created. Most people would feel like you – they don’t want
things that they are creating, or handling, to do harm to other
people.
Cosmetic chemists, who formulate skin care products, are not any
different in that. They will never consciously choose to create
a product that is unsafe to use. That would go against not only
ethical standards of a profession and an individual, but also
against the law. On the other hand, nobody, including chemists,
feels like reinventing the wheel every day. People, in general,
tend to stick to the tested-and-true principle, and that applies
to chemists as well. Who is to blame them? If the product they
create is used by people, the company they work for invests
millions of dollars in production, distribution and marketing of
the product, nobody really wants to see something go wrong, and
so they stick to things that work reliably well.
Cosmetic industry owes its very existence to the advent of
preservatives. Preservatives first found their way into
food, and shortly after into personal care products. That
occurred at the beginning of the 20th century. At the time when
preservatives were a novelty, the knowledge of human physiology
was not what it is today either, which is not to say that today
we know everything. We only know more, and that still has as
many deep pitfalls gaping open, as there are those successfully
filled. The body of knowledge in every field has expanded at a
mind-blowing speed during the 20th century. Technology followed,
and then the Government. As a result, many regulatory agencies
have been established to control the industries and protect the
interests of the public. Over the years and the decades that
followed since the introduction of preservatives, some of them
have risen and fallen, and some of them have stayed. Preservatives in use today have been tested extensively. Under
the guidance of toxicologists and Government officials every
country established its list of acceptable preservatives for
personal care products, and their levels of use. This last entry
– the level of use – is crucial, because, as you remember, the
preservative has to walk a thin line between being effective
against microorganisms and not being toxic to humans.
There is an important note to insert here: Government agencies
don’t consider a preservative any compound, natural or
synthetic, that is not on their official list. What that means
is: if a formulator uses other chemicals to preserve the skin
cream, which are officially not recognized to be preservatives,
then sometimes marketing claims are being made, such as
‘preservative-free’. This is untrue in the real sense, since we
now know that a product has to be preserved, and there is
something in the product doing the job of the preservative, with
or without the title.
The following are most commonly used preservatives in cosmetics
today:
Although compounds listed above are all synthetic chemicals,
there are some natural chemicals that have been used, and are
recognized as preservatives as well (such as organic acids, for
instance). Each of these preservatives has been around long
enough for the chemists to gain confidence in what they are
doing.
Does it sound strange to read about a question of confidence in
chemists, especially when it comes to preserving their
formulations? If it does, then we have to make an important
clarification: the issue of preservatives is not only difficult
enough from the standpoint of how safe they are for humans, but
the very job they are supposed to perform is always in question. One of the least known facts about cosmetic products is that
they are very difficult to preserve both effectively and safely. The standard combinations in the mainstream industry have been
acquired after many years and decades of failed attempts, and
they are still not foolproof. Why is that so? Because there is
no perfect preservative. (If one ever came along chemists are
likely to be much more excited about it than the public.)
Factors that influence how effective a preservative is going to
be are many:
-
Content
of water in a product
-
The
conditions under which it is manufactured, i.e. cleanliness and
hygiene of the premises
-
The
phases and steps of the manufacturing process itself
-
pH
value of the product
-
The
condition and purity of the ingredients that go into the product
-
The
type of ingredients used (some of them inactivate or reduce the
efficacy of preservatives)
-
The
packaging of the product, i.e. how much of it is exposed to air
through everyday use
-
The way the product will be used; and so on.
Any change in any of the factors mentioned above, and the whole
process goes back to the very beginning.
Are the formulators fighting against a phalange?
There are several types of bacteria, fungi, molds and yeasts
that thrive in skin care products, and preservatives are limited
in their effectiveness against them. Typically, the ones that
have effect on bacteria don’t have it on molds, and vice versa.
Furthermore, ones that are effective against gram-positive
bacteria are sometimes not effective against gram-negative. The
obvious answer, and necessity, is to combine the preservatives
so that their actions keep the product safe from microbes.
Fighting against several totally different species of
microorganisms, combining few different chemical compounds to
win that battle, all in the medium that supports the growth of
microbes and then add packaging that is at times ridiculous from
a standpoint of actually successfully completing the task at
hand... and you can see how preserving a cosmetic product can be
a nightmare.
Consider, for example, a sponge applicator in make-up. You may
or may not like it, maybe you even love it. From a formulator’s
standpoint, a little sponge poses a big challenge. If used for
dry powders, like eyeshadows, the concern is minimal. But, if
used for anything creamy and moist, the sponge becomes a
cavernous maze, infinitely larger that its neat little tip,
where countless microbes can create safe havens from
preservatives, which can’t get to them. Since there are many
products with sponge applicators, formulators have obviously
found the way to present the market with the safe product, but
just by introducing a new style of packaging the effort to
preserve properly was brought to a completely new level.
Let’s review ‘safe’ again. Preservatives, whether synthetic or
natural, are chemicals that disrupt the life cycle of
microorganisms, and thus eliminate them from the product. To
microbes, they are poisons. This cellular toxicity is not
limited to microbes - preservatives are, more often than not,
toxic to higher organisms as well, including humans. How toxic? Well, that is where all this trouble festers. Toxicity of
preservatives is directly connected to the quantity that is
used. If little that is needed to kill the microbes is not
causing any known damage that has been proven scientifically as
such (scientifically meaning through rigorous testing and study
of as many factors possible), then they are considered safe. If
some danger and increased risks are uncovered and proven later
on, then they are considered not safe any more. If this sounds
like a brutal method of accumulating knowledge through trial and
error, consider that most if not all knowledge of humankind has
been accumulated that way. Most chemists follow that route, some
look for alternatives right from the start. I don’t think that
it can be said about either group as being right or wrong, it is
simply a matter of choice and conviction, and thus a
philosophical question.
Let’s look, for instance, at parabens, the infamous
preservatives that everybody knows by name. They are synthetic
chemicals, esters of para-amino-benzoic acid and have indeed
been around for a long time. There are many chemicals similar to parabens in the natural world, which could and likely do have
similar anti-microbial properties to synthetic parabens. Plants
also have to protect themselves against microorganisms, just as
our bodies are protected by the immune system. Over the years
there were many accusations raising the issue of parabens’
safety, but none has gained momentum like the recent findings,
which state that they have estrogen-like effects, which might
further link them to breast cancer. The study that had caused
such a stir was very small, based on samples of breast cancer
tissue, where the presence of parabens was discovered. They are
suspected to have originated from products applied to the
under-arm area, or some other kind of body product. Now, that
shouldn’t make the news at all, we all know for quite some time
that what is applied on the skin gets inside the body. Where
will traces of different chemicals appear once they are
absorbed, what will happen further, what do they actually do
inside the body, if anything, how much is eliminated and how
quickly...it is simply not well known. Extrapolate this to many,
tens, hundreds perhaps of chemical compounds, both synthetic and
natural, that we are exposed to every day and you will begin to
understand that we are far from seeing the big picture – we are
looking at a rudimentary sketch, at best. The global panic that
ensued after this study received publicity from mainstream media
would have provided some funding for further research, but it
was based mostly on speculations that may or may not be proven
true. For now, both the chemists who work in the industry and
the Government have rejected the notion that parabens are not
safe. They insist that, yes, they are synthetic, but they have
been used for a long time, have been researched thoroughly and
when used in recommended concentrations have never shown to be
harmful.
There is, however, something very peculiar, and exciting, if you
wish, that is emerging from this and similar situations: under
the pressure from the public, and the loss of revenue of the
major companies to paraben-free products, the spotlight has
turned to natural preservatives like never before. The research
has intensified to find new natural ingredients with
anti-microbial effects. There are also some surprising findings
about the anti-microbial actions by some of the common
ingredients that have been used for other purposes. There have
always been scientists and companies that searched for
alternatives, but now that the big industry leaders are turning
towards and exploring alternative means to preserving personal
care products, exciting times lie ahead. This in no way means
that preserving cosmetic products got any easier - to the
contrary. All of the challenging issues remain the same, plus
the complications of formulating with new and often not very
well known or understood ingredients. Basically, anybody
formulating cosmetic products today is charting their own course
– they have to find a method, and preservatives, that will work
for their products. There are more options available to them
than ever before, and it has never been more complicated.
Natural Preservatives
Do they work? Are they safe? These are the same questions that
synthetic preservatives have to answer, and meeting those
standards would result with either establishing any of these
natural chemicals as preservatives or merely discarding them as
yet another failed attempt.
To answer the first question is relatively easy: a challenge
test for anti-microbial activity will show whether they are
effective or not. Further testing will establish what minimum
quantity of the chemical is active as a preservative, which is
of extreme importance since the lesser quantity is used, the
less there is to worry about in terms of safety. Additional
testing will point out exactly how effective the compound is
against each of the microbes affecting the formulation. These
are standard procedures and the first steps in even considering
a compound for a role of a preservative.
Then comes further testing, which has to do with how well does
it work with the process of actual production of the skin care
product – pH, other ingredients, temperature, packaging etc.
After all that has been passed, the second question remains: are
they safe?
In general, natural chemicals with anti-microbial activities are
less toxic and well tolerated by the skin. Their efficacy
against microorganisms is usually lower than that of the
synthetic chemicals. As with conventional preservatives, the
wisdom and experience show that it will take a long time and use
to fully understand every aspect and the principle by which they
work. To be sure, there is a lot of testing being carried on, or
has already been done, and the industry, as well as scientists,
are not going blindly into it. Besides extensive testing, there
is also common scientific knowledge about compounds of similar
structure, their effects and toxicity on human bodies. There is
also traditional use of those plants in herbal medicine, etc. Knowledge is a complex web, which creates new loops by using
nearest ones.
When it comes to natural ingredients, including natural
preservatives, there is always an element of trust, or better
belief, on the part of both the consumers and people who create
them. I admit that myself. And so we are back to philosophy. As
a natural-oriented chemist, I will always rather work with a
natural compound than synthetic, because it is my strong belief
that the synergy between natural elements, such as between
natural chemicals and our bodies, works better, superior even,
and safer, than the combination with synthetic chemicals. Natural preservatives test this commitment to natural
ingredients far more than any other ingredient in skin care
products. There are very few, not one works perfectly,
satisfactory at best, and the production can be very
challenging. In addition, many of them have a rather strong
scent, some of them are unstable at certain pH values,
temperature affects them greatly, and so on.
Let’s look now at some of the available natural and naturally
derived preservatives. Please note that some of these compounds
are produced synthetically although they exist in nature, but
extraction is very expensive (or production very cheap) and when
produced instead of being extracted they become nature
identical.
Organic Acids - Benzoic, Sorbic, Boric, Citric and other Alpha-hydroxy
Acids.
All of these have been used for a very long time, either as free
acids, or as their salts. They are active against fungi, or
molds.
Citrus Seed Extract – very popular with alternative formulators,
has a broad spectrum of activity and has been on the market for
several decades. It has been disputed recently from different
angles. One of them asserts that its antimicrobial effectiveness
is entirely due to impurities, i.e. presence of conventional
preservatives. The original makers of the product do not reveal
the procedure or the actual content, but insist that that is not
true. However, the original extracted material from the seeds of
Grapefruit is being converted to a more stable form, which blurs
the line on natural, or naturally derived. Both supporters and
opponents hold on to their stands.
Free Fatty Acids and
Monoglycerides – these are natural
components of oils and have a wide application in creams, due to
their emolliency. Some of them, like Glyceryl Laurate, and more
recently discovered Glyceryl Caprylate have anti-microbial
actions.
Tree Lichen Extract and Usnic Acid - traditionally used for
treatment of fungus infections on feet, they are now used as
preservatives against fungi and moulds.
Japanese Honeysuckle Extract – it is anti-microbial and also has
anti-inflammatory actions.
Hinokitiol and the Hinoki
Tree – this is a nature identical
compound, but it can still be found as a pure extract as well,
at a very high price.
Essential Oils – it is widely known that essential oils have
anti-microbial activities, but they are difficult to use as
preservatives, specifically because the quantities required are
far too high. There are chemical companies that have isolated
some of the most anti-microbial components of certain essential
oils and they are available as preservatives, although
classified as ‘fragrance’. Among them, there are isolates from
Tea Tree oil, mixtures of Oregano, Thyme and Cinnamon, some
other combine Rosemary, Lavender, Golden Rod etc.
Wassabi or Japanese Horseradish – has both anti-microbial and
anti-oxidant activity.
Phytic Acid – extracted from Rice bran, it is a chellating
agent, which means that it binds metal ions (necessary for
microbe’s metabolism) and disrupts their life cycle.
There are many others as well; it is a rapidly expanding field. However, what all these compounds have in common is that they
all have limitations. They are far from perfect. That will be
deterrence to some, but not to everybody. In addition, by
observing how they protect the plant itself, the scientists stay
closely within the natural cycle of things, with its amazing
solutions to most problems.
Finding a right ratio of preservatives for a skin care product,
whether working with conventional or natural ones, is a long and
tedious process, and it is a collaborative effort of many
components of that cream.
In this particular rabbit hole we have found that conventional
preservatives to conventional chemists are a safe and sound
choice, and unconventional preservatives to unconventional
chemists are the obvious, and only choice. Both of these groups
of chemicals are used in quantities which are effective and
safe, as determined by testing and regulations. For some of
them, particularly from the group of natural preservatives,
there are no regulations in place yet. What protects the public
in both cases is the knowledge of formulators and their
conscientious choice to make their products safe and effectively
preserved.
Can preservatives, including natural ones, be dangerous?
Yes – most of them can cause harm if used in higher than
recommended quantities.
Can they cause harm when used in recommended quantities as well?
Generally – no. However, possible long-term effects are very
difficult to follow and study.
How does this help you make your decision as a consumer?
Preservatives are a small part of the product you are
purchasing. If you are seeking natural products, just as certain
chemists seek natural ingredients to work with, then your choice
is a natural extension of your approach to life, including skin
care. You understand the philosophy behind such products and why
certain ingredients are chosen over all other, and the choice is
easy.
If you are only concerned about preservatives posing a health
risk to you, then the choice becomes difficult. Assessing risk
is a job that nobody likes - we would all much rather deal with
certainty. Unfortunately, with the issue of preservatives there
are sound cons for each pro, and vice versa. This applies to
both synthetic and natural preservatives.
What you can do is: arm yourself with tangible and reliable
knowledge by connecting to the sources you trust, also, check
out the sources you don’t hold in high esteem, if for no other
reason then so you can feel good about how much more you know,
and always remember that your responsibility lies with choosing
what is right for you.
To your beauty and health,
Ivana K.
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