{"id":11413,"date":"2026-06-30T09:00:52","date_gmt":"2026-06-30T08:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/formulabotanica.com\/?p=11413"},"modified":"2026-06-30T12:19:53","modified_gmt":"2026-06-30T11:19:53","slug":"natural-preservatives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/formulabotanica.com\/natural-preservatives\/","title":{"rendered":"Everything you wanted to know about Natural Preservatives"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\r\n

Updated: 30.06.26<\/h6>\r\n

Natural preservatives are among the most controversial ingredients used in organic skincare and haircare. Natural formulators, and nowadays beauty consumers too, question the role of preservatives in cosmetics. Are they needed in certain formulations? Why are they so important? And, what happens if you don\u2019t use preservatives in cosmetics?<\/p>\r\n

Naturally-derived and natural preservatives are some of the least interesting, but most important ingredients in your organic skincare and haircare formulations. If only one small thing goes wrong with the preservation of your cosmetic formulations, you can jeopardise your customer\u2019s health, your product and your business. This is a topic that most definitely deserves our attention<\/p>\r\n

Quite often, students ask us which natural preservative is the best to use. We tell them that there is no distinct answer to this question as there are a number of factors to consider before coming to a conclusion about which natural preservative is best for your formulation. Preservatives’ efficacy depends largely on the conditions in which they are used.<\/p>\r\n

Why You Should Use Natural Preservatives<\/h3>\r\n

\"Why<\/p>\r\n

Many skincare formulators are dubious about preservatives as they feel they may be using ingredients they view as risky and they don\u2019t wish to endanger their customers. However, preservatives are a necessity in your water-based cosmetics because they protect your customer, your product and your business from disaster<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n

These links are must-reads to extend your knowledge on the use of preservatives:<\/p>\r\n

\r\n

5 Reasons why your natural formulations need preserving<\/a>
How is this formulation preserved?<\/a>
The potential side effects of skincare products<\/a><\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

We continuously remind our students that…<\/p>\r\n

\r\n

The risk of using preservatives in cosmetic preparations is significantly lower than the risk of using unpreserved, water-based cosmetics.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

The good news is, the list of natural preservatives continues to grow and there are many COSMOS<\/a> and ECOCERT<\/a> approved preservatives on the market now which means that you can continue to make preserved, compliant, water-based or water-containing natural and organic products with confidence.<\/p>\r\n

Our list later in this post shows just how many there are now on the market serving a range of cosmetic product formulation needs.<\/p>\r\n

Do all Natural Cosmetics need a Preservative?<\/h3>\r\n

\"Cosmetic<\/p>\r\n

Here, we must reiterate that the use of preservatives in skincare is absolutely essential if you are formulating something water-based. However, there are some products, mainly anhydrous formulations, that don\u2019t require a preservative; these can be face oils, body butters and balms.<\/p>\r\n

Anhydrous products are usually able to exist as \u2018preservative-free\u2019 systems as they are not prone to microbial contamination. However, products that have the risk of water being introduced to them by the user such as oil-based salt scrubs should also be taken into consideration when contemplating whether or not to include a preservative. Anhydrous products stored in the bathroom need preservatives because the bathroom environment is moist and warm, and these are optimum conditions for bacteria and mould to thrive.<\/p>\r\n

How to Choose the Right Natural Preservatives<\/h3>\r\n

\"how<\/p>\r\n

One of the main questions we are constantly asked at Formula Botanica is: \u201cWhich natural preservative should I use for my skincare formulation?\u201c. There is no simple or standard answer to this question. In fact, it can easily become overwhelming to choose a natural preservative or preservative blend when you look at all the products available on the market and all the claims and promises made by suppliers and retailers.<\/p>\r\n

Some of the main points to consider when choosing a preservative are:<\/p>\r\n

\r\n