Busting the myths on preservatives in skincare
It is common to see skincare proudly being marketed as ‘preservative-free’ or to see skincare brands warning of the dangers of preservatives. This has led to the perception that all preservatives in skincare are bad, when the truth is more complicated than that.
While some preservatives are best avoided, preservatives are also essential for ensuring the integrity of your products and the health of your skin. In this blog, we’ll explain why preservatives are important, which ones to avoid, and how to identify which skincare strikes the perfect balance.
What are preservatives in skincare?
Preservatives are ingredients that are added to skincare in order to prevent the growth of harmful microorganisms such as bacteria, yeast and mould. Preservatives are essential to ensuring that products remain stable, effective and safe to use throughout their shelf life.
Why does skincare need preservatives?
Preservatives are necessary for the safety and stability of products. Many skincare formulas, particularly water-based formulas, are ideal environments for microbes to multiply and thrive in. Without preservatives, skincare would spoil very quickly and potentially cause infections, irritation and reactions when applied to the skin.
When you buy a product that has a shelf life of 12 months, preservatives play a big role in ensuring you can use that product safely throughout those 12 months. Preservatives exist to protect the integrity of the product as well as the health h of the user.
Why are preservatives in skincare controversial?
It is important to note that there are many different kinds of preservatives available. While most preservatives are safe and non-irritating, some have come under scrutiny for their potential side effects, especially for people with sensitive skin.
Unfortunately, this has led to the impression that all preservatives should be avoided, rather than just some of them – make no mistake that preservatives are still essential for the safety and integrity of your products!
Which preservatives in skincare should I avoid?
Parabens – these ingredients have the potential to disrupt hormone function and are best avoided as a precaution. Parabens to watch out for include: Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Butylparaben.
Phthalates – like parabens, phthalates are under scrutiny for potential health risks and are best avoided as a precaution. Watch out for: Diethyl Phthalate (DEP), Dimethyl Phthalate (DMP) and Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP).
Sulfates – sulfates are potential irritants that may dry out the skin and lead to allergic reactions. Look out for: Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES).
Formaldehyde - Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives kill bacteria in water-based products through the slow release of formaldehyde. Under certain conditions, more formaledehyde can be released than is ideal, with potential health concerns. Watch out for ingredients such as: Quaternium-15 and DMDM hydantoin.
Alcohols – these are considered to be drying and potentially irritating. Avoid simple alcohols such as Ethanol and Isopropyl Alcohol.
All Liberty Belle Rx products are proudly free from the above preservatives.
Should I choose preservative-free skincare?
Using products that contain no preservatives at all is risky as these products are far more susceptible to contamination and spoilage. Every time you apply that product, there’s a chance you could be spreading bacteria, yeast and mould onto your skin, which could easily lead to health and skin problems.
If you’re worried, rather than avoid preservatives entirely, opt for skincare that prioritises the use of safe, proven and effective preservatives. At Liberty Belle Rx, we take great care when formulating our products to maximise stability. We are also careful to avoid all the more controversial preservatives such as parabens and phthalates.
Other factors to consider
For us, ensuring shelf life and stability doesn’t end with choosing the right preservatives. We also formulate our products with ingredients that are less prone to spoilage. For instance, because Vitamin C is such a volatile ingredient, we always use stabilised Vitamin C in our products to help you get the most out of our formulations.
Packaging also makes a difference to product integrity. We use Airless Pump Technology to dispense our products in order to keep oxygen and microbes away from precious actives as effectively as possible. We also package our products in well-protected opaque bottles to prevent degradation from light exposure.
Dipstick pumps, jars and clear glass containers are generally considered to be less effective at ensuring the stability of the products. We recommend you check the packaging as well as the ingredients to ensure you’re choosing what’s best for your skin.
The takeaway
Despite the bad press, preservatives are essential for making skincare products effective and safe to use. There are a small number of preservatives that ought to be avoided such as phthalates and parabens, but don’t be fooled into thinking preservative-free products are the better or more natural alternative, as these products are more susceptible to microbial contamination that can cause skin issues.
The best approach is to avoid the more controversial preservatives while embracing skincare that uses a combination of proven, safe preservatives, stabilised ingredients, and packaging that is designed to optimise shelf life, just as Liberty Belle Rx does.
If you have any questions about how we protect our products, please do not hesitate to contact us on 03 9826 9988. Our friendly dermal clinicians will be happy to answer any questions you have. For help creating a skincare regimen, you can visit our Skin Quiz at https://libertybelle.com.au/
