Modern preservation of natural cosmetics
Traditional cosmetics are made from ingredients that are long-lasting and are preserved with strong preservatives that not only allow them to be stored for years before opening, but also maintain their microbiological stability even if they are often contaminated or exposed to high temperatures after opening.
How are natural cosmetics different?
The ingredients in natural cosmetics are much more sensitive and the range of preservatives that can be used is very limited. Think what would happen to your weekend lunch if you left it out on the kitchen table for a few days. Similar processes take place in a preservative-free natural cosmetic, with ingredients that are largely plant-based and partly edible. Emulsions containing water are an ideal breeding ground for bacteria, yeasts and moulds, so proper preservation of these emulsions is essential.
Preservation is always a compromise. A spoiled cream can pose a risk to our skin, which may show lesions - depending on individual sensitivity - even before the deterioration of the cream is visible to the eye. Therefore, we must choose a preservation method that protects us from the consequences of using a spoiled emulsion, but is not harmful or even beneficial to our health.
However, the most commonly used preservatives in natural cosmetics - alcohol, fragrances and flavourings - are very skin-friendly and well tolerated substances in the right concentrations, which only inhibit the growth of bacteria and fungi. They are not aggressive enough to kill these pathogens, so the potential for new contaminants to enter the environment should be minimised.
The Totarol we use (New Zealand totara tree extract) is an exception because it has excellent antibacterial properties, killing both Gram negative and Gram positive bacteria, and is also a fantastic antioxidant.
It is also beneficial to use fragrances and flavours that are native to plants and are nature-identical, which plants themselves produce to protect themselves from pathogens. These include benzoic acid, benzyl alcohol and sorbic acid.
In the production of DRHAZI products, we pay special attention to sterility and enrich the cosmetics with antibacterial essential oils (tea tree, benzoin), plant extracts (Japanese honeysuckle, rosemary, totarol, American resinous poplar) and bioferments (radish root bioferment) that help to maintain microbiological stability.
The gentle processes and preservation methods used for 100% natural cosmetics do not allow the product to be exposed to external contamination after opening. Therefore, these cosmetics are not packaged in jars but in sterile airless dispensers.
Natural cosmetics should be considered as fresh cosmetics and should be used within 12-16 weeks of opening, depending on the preservation method.
The natural preservatives we use:
- Totarol - Podocarpus totara extract
- Benzoin oil - Styrax tonkinensis resin oil
- Peppermint oil - Mentha piperita oil
- Japanese honeysuckle extract - Lonicera japonica flower extract
- American resonant poplar bark extract - Populus termuloides bark extract
- Black radish root biofermeent - Radisch root ferment filtrate
- Plant alcohol (max 10%) - Ethanol
- Palm oil - Cymbopogon martinii oil
- Rosemary oil and extract - Rosmarinus officinalis extract
- Tea tree oil - Melalenca alternifolia oil
- Wintergreen oil - Gaultheria probumbens oil
- Ylang oil - Cananga odorata oil
