When a cosmetic product contains water, naturally bacteria and fungus will want to grow in the water component. Preservatives inhibit this growth and ensure the product remains safe for use, free from bacteria and fungus. We include our range of Antioxidants in this section. Our Antioxidants such as Vitamin E ensure your product remains "fresh" and scents aren't allowed to oxidise.
Unless you are producing products for instant use, you will want to (and if you are planning on selling or giving away your products you will need to) add a preservative.
The purpose of a preservative is to safely allow you to store your product without your product "going off", most commonly, this involves giving your product the ability to fight off bacteria and fungus.
In the EU it is a legal requirement that any cosmetic that is to be sold or given away should contain a preservation system.
A preservative attempts to kill bacteria and fungus within your product. Most commonly this bacteria and fungus appear with use, whilst contacting the end users skin. An antioxidant stops your product for oxidisng and therefore effectively becoming rancid. A common antioxidant is Vitamin E (tocopheryl) whose inclusion not only stops your product oxidising, but also helps to provide antioxidant effects for the skin.
Typically you will use antioxidants and preservatives together in synergistic harmony to protect your product.
