creaking door menders. Under such conditions, even the most stable formulation can grow some fussy
colonies.
Microorganisms can do much more than make the cream smell weird. While using out-of-date
products may not please your senses, decaying ingredients can actually affect your health. The
bacteria growing in outdated products can cause rashes and breakouts when applied to skin that is
irritated or scratched, or to the fragile, thin skin around the eyes.
Staphylococcus aureus, a pathogenic bacteria, can be fatal when applied to broken skin (Nguema
et al. 2000), and incidences of blindness caused by contaminated mascara have been reported
(Reid,Wood 1979).
No wonder many cosmetic companies are now searching for preservatives that are paraben- and
formaldehyde-free yet are effective against the effects of air, light, bacteria, yeast, and fungi even at
low concentrations.
In addition to eliminating parabens from their formulations, marketers are also removing
phenoxyethanol. Fenilight and Feniol have the same full bactericidal activity but are much safer than
phenoxyethanol. Tinosan is a natural, silver-based preservative.
Chemists are also working on creating cosmetic compounds that would not require preservatives at
all. Ritative AN is a blend of emulsifiers and humectants that has built-in, broad-spectrum
microbiological activity. Despite its militaristic name, the B52 preservative (based on benzyl PCA)
doubles as a gentle, nonirritating moisturizer and emollient. It can be used in moisturizers, lotions,
and bath products.
All of these preservatives are synthetic. They are safer than conventional preservatives, but they
are hardly green. Are there any completely natural preservatives out there?
Suprapein (created by Bio-Botanica) is a totally natural preservative made of oregano and thyme
oils, as well as cinnamon, lavender, lemon peel, goldenseal, and rosemary extract. Lemon peel oil,
grapefruit seed extract, vitamin C (ascorbic acid), and vitamin E (tocopherols) are also used to
prevent oxidation. The chemical benzanthracene, found in lemon and lime oils, has potent microbial
properties. Potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate are considered safe and have a lower likelihood
of causing cosmetic-related allergies and sensitivities. Many cosmetic companies are switching to
aseptic manufacturing and airtight packaging, which minimizes the exposure to air and bacteria.
You can do your own share to prevent contamination of your paraben-free products, which have a
much shorter life span than their synthetic counterparts do. Handle all cosmetics in a way that
prevents bacterial contamination. Do not leave product containers uncapped. Do not share them. Do
not use your fingers instead of applicators. Some products, such as lip and body balms, body and hair
butters, oil-based serums, perfumes with or without alcohol, oil-based salt and sugar scrubs, bath and
body oils, and liquid soap have a shelf life of several months to a year. Nevertheless, most organic
creams and lotions that contain water must be used within six months.
what
science
says
While keeping bacteria away, preservatives themselves often act as contaminants and powerful
skin allergens. It was once believed that parabens, known as esters of para-hydroxybenzoic acid,
were not stored in human tissue. However, recent findings prove the contrary. When rubbed into the