Lonza launches multi-functional cosmetic preservative

Concerns over traditional preservatives such as parabens have recently beem highlighted by the Californian cosmetics bill, which went in to force last week, specifically targets ingredients that are known to be carcinogenic or to affect the reproductive process.

Chemicals in the paraben family have been under the spotlight for a number of years, with a number of scientific studies highlighting potential hazards in a number of consumer products that include many cosmetic and toiletry products.

This has led to a major drive by personal care ingredients company to find alternative preservatives that are safer, less harsh and equally effective as a parabens.

Geogard Ultra is Lonza's answer to this challenge. The company claims that it provides a single solution to requirements for alternative to traditional preservatives.

The preservative has been given regulatory acceptance on a global basis, which, combined with the fact that it has broad-spectrum activity and multifunctionality, means it should prove to be appropriate for a range of cosmetic and toiletry products.

Lonza​ says that it is expecting Geogard Ultra will start to appear in shampoos, lotion and suncreams in major markets as diverse as Europe, Japan, North America and South America in the near future.

The ingredient has been developed to prevent product spoilage by utilizing its Hurdle Technology - a means of preserving products using a gentler process.

This means that instead of an aggressive approach to killing bacteria and fungus, the preservative creates a more hostile environment within the formulation that prevents the growth of microbes, creating a self preserving environment.

Furthermore, Switzerland-based Lonza claims that the ingredient's multifunctional properties also means it can also increase the skin moisturizing capacity of the formulation, making it an ideal ingredient for all skin care formulations, particularly anti-aging products.

Although the Californian cosmetics bill is speeding up the race to source alternative cosmetic preservatives, Lonza's move forms part of a burgeoning segment that key industry players have sort to fill in the past year or so.

Back in June Rohm Haas launched Neolone on to the world market, an alternative preservative that is formulated using methylisothiazolinone and suitable for a broad spectrum of cosmetic and toiletry products. And last year International Specialty Products launched a completely new range of paraben-free preservatives.