Preservatives in cosmetics technology

Abstract

Preservatives are chemical compounds that, when added to a product, protect it from the growth of microorganisms. However, to fulfil this basic function, preservatives should be appropriately selected for a given cosmetic formulation. The article aimed to present the key concepts regarding the preservation of cosmetics and legal regulations in this area. Moreover, cosmetics of low microbiological risk were characterised and the studies verifying the effectiveness of preserving cosmetic products were presented. The key to reduce the likelihood of microbial infections is to identify their origin. Therefore, in order to limit potential primary and secondary contamination in cosmetic products, it is necessary to determine and find a solution to reduce the sources of these infections.