{"id":5416,"date":"2016-10-28T08:00:01","date_gmt":"2016-10-28T14:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ulprospector.com\/knowledge\/?p=5416"},"modified":"2022-05-16T14:19:11","modified_gmt":"2022-05-16T20:19:11","slug":"pcc-cosmetics-natural-preservatives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ulprospector.ul.com\/5416\/pcc-cosmetics-natural-preservatives\/","title":{"rendered":"Natural Preservatives: A Continuing Discourse"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"How
Copyright: dolgachov \/ 123RF Stock Photo<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The general topic of natural ingredients in cosmetics has been extensively covered in industry literature and forums, as well as various Knowledge Center articles.<\/p>\n

If the questions submitted by Prospector members are any indication, the level of interest in the broader topic of \u201cnaturals\u201d and the subtopic of natural preservatives<\/a>\u00a0in cosmetics remains high. Although natural preservatives were thoroughly discussed in \u201cNatural Preservatives and Colorants<\/a>,\u201d the present article aims to address some lingering questions on balancing support of a natural concept with efficacy and affordability.<\/p>\n

Supporting a Natural Concept<\/h4>\n

First and foremost, what is the definition of \u201cnatural\u201d within personal care? Several authors have addressed this question but the definition offered in \u201cThe Challenge of Natural Cosmetics<\/a>\u201d is worth restating:<\/p>\n

Perhaps the biggest challenge is to figure out what your company considers ‘natural.’ There is no single definition and the number of different standards out there is overwhelming. As a formulator, you\u2019ll want to get specific direction on exactly which ingredients you\u2019re allowed to use and which to avoid. If your company doesn\u2019t know, then you should just choose one of the leading natural cosmetic standards and stick with it.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Getting specific direction from your company or customer cannot be over emphasized as there are varying perceptions among consumers about what makes a product \u201cnatural.\u201d Most common is the belief that a \u201cnatural\u201d ingredient must be recognizable and not sound \u201cchemical\u201d \u2013 which is a viewpoint that your marketing team may want to promote to enhance consumer appeal.<\/p>\n

To meet this objective, a formulator can consider products that have been developed as alternatives to synthetic preservatives.\u00a0Examples of products positioned as \u201cnatural\u201d or naturally-derived preservatives include:<\/p>\n