The Green Beauty Guide: Your Essential Resource to Organic and Natural Skin Care, Hair Care, Makeup, and Fragrances by Julie Gabriel Read Free Book Online Page B

closed and sealed), while a jar with an open lid indicates that once opened, with normal use the product will remain fresh for six, twelve, or more months.
    Preservatives contained in beauty products ward off bacteria, fungi, microbes, and oxidation. Such preservatives halt enzyme activity in the formulation, stop the oxidation process, or kill bacteria and any living creatures that wandered inside the bottle. The more preservatives that are loaded into the product, the longer it can remain “pure” and uncontaminated. This way, beauty products can be manufactured in mass quantities and be warehoused for a longer period.
    Of all cosmetic ingredients, preservatives are the most frequently targeted by open-minded research doctors, consumer groups, and nongovernmental organizations. Preservatives keep products clean and fresh, which is a good thing because we often store our beauty products in bathrooms, which tend to be warm and moist. Also, family members may share cosmetic products, which often come in wide-neck jars—think body balm used as an aftershave lotion and hand salves doubling as creaking door menders. Under such conditions, even the most stable formulation can grow some fussy colonies.
    Microorganisms can do much more than make the cream smell weird. While using out-of-date products may not please your senses, decaying ingredients can actually affect your health. The bacteria growing in outdated products can cause rashes and breakouts when applied to skin that is irritated or scratched, or to the fragile, thin skin around the eyes.
    Staphylococcus aureus, a pathogenic bacteria, can be fatal when applied to broken skin (Nguema et al. 2000), and incidences of blindness caused by contaminated mascara have been reported (Reid,Wood 1979).
    No wonder many cosmetic companies are now searching for preservatives that are paraben- and formaldehyde-free yet are effective against the effects of air, light, bacteria, yeast, and fungi even at low concentrations.
    In addition to eliminating parabens from their formulations, marketers are also removing phenoxyethanol. Fenilight and Feniol have the same full bactericidal activity but are much safer than phenoxyethanol. Tinosan is a natural, silver-based preservative.
    Chemists are also working on creating cosmetic compounds that would not require preservatives at all. Ritative AN is a blend of emulsifiers and humectants that has built-in, broad-spectrum microbiological activity. Despite its militaristic name, the B52 preservative (based on benzyl PCA) doubles as a gentle, nonirritating moisturizer and emollient. It can be used in moisturizers, lotions, and bath products.
    All of these preservatives are synthetic. They are safer than conventional preservatives, but they are hardly green. Are there any completely natural preservatives out there?
    Suprapein (created by Bio-Botanica) is a totally natural preservative made of oregano and thyme oils, as well as cinnamon, lavender, lemon peel, goldenseal, and rosemary extract. Lemon peel oil, grapefruit seed extract, vitamin C (ascorbic acid), and vitamin E (tocopherols) are also used to prevent oxidation. The chemical benzanthracene, found in lemon and lime oils, has potent microbial properties. Potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate are considered safe and have a lower likelihood of causing cosmetic-related allergies and sensitivities. Many cosmetic companies are switching to aseptic manufacturing and airtight packaging, which minimizes the exposure to air and bacteria.
    You can do your own share to prevent contamination of your paraben-free products, which have a much shorter life span than their synthetic counterparts do. Handle all cosmetics in a way that prevents bacterial contamination. Do not leave product containers uncapped. Do not share them. Do not use your fingers instead of applicators. Some products, such as lip and body balms, body and hair butters, oil-based serums, perfumes with or without alcohol, oil-based salt and