Sabinsa introduces proprietary natural preservatives for cosmetics use

The two patent-pending ingredient compositions are SabiLize Alpha – a blend of natural ‘Active Fractions’ of various essential oils and phytoextracts, suitable for use in color cosmetics – and SabiLize Beta – a blend of natural antimicrobial actives.

“In recent years, there has been increased interest in natural antimicrobials as topical actives and preservatives in the personal care industry,” ​Sabinsa’s vice president of innovation and business development, Dr. Lakshmi Prakash, told CosmeticsDesign.com USA.

“Synthetic compounds long accepted as effective in controlling microbial growth have come under scientific and regulatory scrutiny.”​

Safety and environmental concerns puts ‘naturals’ in focus​​

Natural preservatives is an area of focus at present within cosmetics, due to some concerns over the safety and environmental profile of synthetic compounds.

Prakash stated it is difficult for an ‘ideal’ preservative to exist because as soon as a one is developed, there are newer criteria stipulated by customers which the preservative may not meet.

Prakash said that synthetic preservatives used in formulations can sometimes be problematic due to the safety, and global regulatory acceptance, of combinations of such ingredients. It is here that combinations of natural extracts may be useful.

The SabiLize blends claim to be ‘all natural’, and will hold up against the test of time, with Prakash stating they are safe for use at the recommended levels in a variety of cosmeceutical formulations.

SabiLize is Sabinsa’s proprietary blend of “natural ingredients, comprising of essential oil fractions and extracts with potential antimicrobial and antioxidant activity with proven preservative efficacy.”​

Use of preservatives in personal care products​

Preservativesare added to finished formulations to enhance their shelf life and prevent biochemical changes, such as oxidation of components. Cosmetic compositions are susceptible to contamination during production, storage and handling.

Sabinsa claims the preservative efficacy of its SabiLize blends is better than parabens citing the synergy of the actives used in the ingredients, and will not affect the appearance of the finished formulations.