Preservatives / Integrity Stabilizers

What is preservation and what is a preservative? When we speak as formulators, about preservation or preservatives, we are referring to the protection of our products from contamination by bacteria, yeast, mold, and fungus, from the time the product is manufactured up until the time the product is completely used up by the consumer.

With all preservatives, the posted usage suggestions are only general indications. The exact concentration is based on  many factors including raw materials quality, manufacturing hygiene, formula composition and final packaging. The optimal amount of preservative must be determined through the testing of each new product.  For more information and specific details please see our preservative optimization information in our "Getting Started with Formula Development and Supplies" blog post, pg 4 or our item page Preservatives for Cosmetics