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What Are Preservatives Used For?
The skin care and beauty industry uses preservatives in order to protect products from becoming contaminated from things such as mold, bacteria, and yeast. These preservatives help cosmetics and skin care items stay fresh and safe for use from the time they're manufactured, to the time they're done being used by the consumer.
Here are some common terms you should familiarize yourself with:
Antiseptic:
An antiseptic is an ingredient that's added to a product to prevent harmful microorganisms from growing on human tissue when the product is used. Antiseptics can also destroy microorganisms as well.
Germicide:
Germicides are ingredients used to kill hazardous microorganisms.
Disinfectant:
Disinfectants are materials used on inanimate objects to destroy any potential disease-causing microorganisms.
Preservatives:
Preservatives prevent and destroy microorganisms that might otherwise damage a product, or cause it to become harmful to one's health.
Both antiseptics and disinfectants must be fast-acting, powerful materials for preventing and destroying specific types of organisms. For a preservative to be useful and effective, it must protect against destructive microorganisms for longer periods of time, although using a preservative doesn't mean you should forget how to properly store and take care of your products.
Preservatives should be used for keeping clean beauty products free from contamination, but not as a way of killing any microorganisms that may be introduced during the creation process if you aren't careful. The contamination of beauty products by harmful microbes should be of great concern, not only to the beauty and skin care industries, but even more importantly, to you, the consumer.
Contamination may cause certain noticeable changes in a finished product and include:
- Changes in color
- Strange odors
- Changes in texture
- Viscosity
- The production of gasses
- The degradation of active ingredients
It's important to remember that potential health hazards may not always be visible in a contaminated product, which is why many regulatory agencies have expressed concerns about topical products that may be made with inadequate preservation processes. These products, if used on the young, or the elderly, or by those with a weakened immune system, have the potential to cause serious health problems.
The most ideal preservative will have certain attributes, including:
- Effectiveness with a wide range of pH balances
- Being non-toxic and a non-irritant
- Being water soluble, and preferably a liquid
- Effective even at lower concentrations for cost purposes
- Having a broad spectrum of benefits, such as the ability to destroy many types of microorganisms, including both gram-negative and positive types of mold, bacteria, and yeast
- Staying effective throughout the life of the product
- Not reacting with any of the product's other ingredients or packaging
- Having no effect on the product's color, odor, or finished appearance
The Two Types of Preservatives
Natural Preservatives
There are some all-natural preservatives that were shown to have antimicrobial properties in clinical tests.
Synthetic Preservatives
Synthetic preservatives are perhaps the most effective type for use in beauty products as they help protect against a variety of molds and bacterium.
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