Preservatives were originally designed to protect our food and cosmetic products from contamination by microbes, making them safe to use for longer. Today, they are among the most closely watched and debated ingredients.
According to a 2018 survey by the Harris interactive institute on the importance of ingredients in a product's composition, 54% of French women look for products without preservatives and 64% without parabens (one of the best-known, but also most controversial, families of preservatives).
Today, 59 preservatives are authorized by European regulations, the strictest in the world of cosmetics, with very precise percentages, and 5 of them are used in ORGANIC Cosmetics. (Cosmos Organic label).
Parabens, phenoxyethanol, alcohol (yes, some brands replace synthetic preservatives with alcohol, which acts as an antibacterial agent), essential oils, benzoic acid, sorbic acid or dehydroacetic acid... If you're familiar with these names, it's because they're present in virtually all our cosmetics today.
For an exhaustive list of preservatives, visit (Listed in Annex V of Cosmetics Regulation (EC) N°1223/2009).
To check the list of controversial preservatives, you can also download the Clean Beauty app .
Since parabens were banned in 2014 by European regulations, the subject of preservatives in our beauty products has become a real subject of vigilance for consumers and has been the subject of scientific studies and research in Europe and the USA.
In recent years, the range of preservatives used has narrowed under various media, legislative, technical and financial pressures. It is often the same (mostly synthetic) preservatives that are used in the various products we apply, and this phenomenon is set to increase over time.
Although the percentage of each preservative is now strictly controlled, we don't know the consequences of accumulating them day after day on our skin and on our health, since every day we use more than 10 cosmetic products and also find these preservatives in our laundry detergents or household products, and sometimes even in our food products...
Preservatives remain a source of concern, even when used in organic formulas. What is the cumulative effect of preservatives in the various cosmetics we apply to our skin every day? What role do they play in skin irritation, particularly for the most sensitive or fragile skins? What is their ecotoxicity and capacity to biodegrade?
Transparency on the efficacy, safety and biodegradability of the ingredients contained in our skincare products has become essential beyond labels and certifications. Science is also advancing, often faster than regulations, and opening up new avenues for research and development. So, is it possible to use preservative-free products on a daily basis?
Discover Yodi, a completely new form of cosmetics for skin and hair. Natural, Vegan, Made in France, but also effective and safe. A new generation of preservative-free skincare products.