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Paraben Skincare Benefits:
Product Antimicrobial
Product Stabilizer

Due to inclusion of biological ingredients, such as vitamins and herbal extracts, it is inevitable that cosmetic and personal care products are at risk for perishing. In order to prevent such adverse events from occurring, skincare companies include preservatives to help prevent contamination in raw materials, thereby increasing product shelf life.

Preservatives are chemicals infused into cosmetic formulation to help inhibit the growth of microorganisms. Microbial growth results in the spoilage of a product, and can arise due to hydrolysis, oxidation, reduction, pH changes, and de-emulsification. Properties of an ideal preservative include antimicrobial activity, non-toxic, water-soluble, good pH and temperature tolerance, compatibility with other ingredients, and should remain odorless, tasteless, and colourless. When compared to parabens, preservatives are more easily incorporated into formulation and are known to cause less skin irritation. 1

  1. Croshaw, B. Preservatives for cosmetics and toiletries. J. Soc. Cosmet. Chem28, 3-16 (1977)