Preservatives in skincare: yes or no?

The sector skincare Today we live in a reality in which the numerous and often fragmented information creates a real jungle of data and finding our way in the choice of our serum or our face cream it's getting more and more difficult.

One of the questions that is often asked regarding a skin care product is whether or not it contains preservatives , whether they are chemical or natural, etc.
To better understand and be more aware of the choice, it's important to take a step back and analyze the real purpose of preservatives, too often labeled as terrible.

Where there's water, there's life: a statement that's more true than ever in the skincare industry. With a few exceptions, such as oils and ointments that contain virtually no water, most formulations can be ideal breeding grounds for microorganisms like bacteria, yeasts, and molds.

The presence of a preservative system is therefore absolutely necessary to prevent a skin care product from becoming a major vehicle for microorganisms which, as you can imagine, would do anything but heal or keep our skin in good condition.

Choosing the right preservative for cosmetics

We could write for hours about the choice of preservatives, or preservative systems, in cosmetics, but in general we distinguish between “ chemical ” preservatives and “ natural ” ones, or rather those of natural origin, as these are often molecules with preservative activity present in some natural extract or obtained from the processing of natural matrices.

In any case, the purpose of a preservative is to prevent our skin care product from becoming contaminated, so in one way or another it must "prevent life" in our product and consequently it can hardly be considered a "good" substance, free from allergenic power, etc.

It must be kept in mind, however, that the "aggressiveness" of preservatives is usually linked to their concentration: small quantities can be lethal to microorganisms, but at the same time harmless to product users. From a regulatory perspective, there is a specific table listing permitted preservatives and their concentrations of use, and it is easy to make a correlation with the INCI ( International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) . – list of ingredients) to understand which preservative is used in a product skincare.

So far, everything seems simple and straightforward, but there are situations where it's difficult to understand without contradicting what we've said so far. How can a skin care product with the words "preservative-free" and an INCI without the substances listed in the table exist, like a water-rich face cream that isn't sterile and has no antimicrobial measures?

The answer is simple: there are substances on the market within the reach of cosmetic formulators that, although not listed in the preservative table, are capable of performing a preservative action. These substances could also be essential oils or natural derivatives that are in any case capable of counteracting “microbial life” and in doing this they actually carry with them all the aggressiveness of a conventional preservative.

Finally, the last aspect is experience, which, as in many sectors, is also important when choosing a preservative and, consequently, a good skincare product.
A wealth of scientific literature highlighting the safety of a preservative, perhaps one used in dermocosmetics, food, or pharmaceuticals for decades, is certainly more valuable than asserting the safety and harmlessness of a preservative solely on the basis of its origin or novelty, for which, however, there is not yet much supporting data.

Storage of the dermocosmetic product

Ultimately, should you use a preservative or not? In our opinion, to help users make an informed choice, it would be appropriate to complement the notorious jungle of information filled with slogans aimed at denigrating these substances with more completeness and transparency, thus raising general awareness.

A Correct storage of skincare products , using well-known preservative systems that have been used for decades and have a good scientific background, represents one of the properties that should be evaluated as positive and not as something that compromises or lowers its quality and value.