Abstract
Over the last few years, there have been incidents where cosmetics were recalled due to microbial contamination. An important feature of cosmetics is that when consumers use them they feel safe and confident in doing so from start to finish. This paper has summarized precautions when designing products with a high risk of secondary contamination to preserve them. In addition, frequently used preservatives, the status of international regulations on preservatives, and factors that affect preservative efficacy (antimicrobial effectiveness) are mentioned. In response to increased safety consciousness among consumers and foreign regulations of preservatives, products need to be formulated and designed without parabens or other preservatives. We have examined the antimicrobial effectiveness and sensory irritation of the skin by 1,2-alkanediols in comparison to parabens. Results revealed that 1,2-alkanediols and parabens have almost the same level of antimicrobial effectiveness and that 1,2-alkanediols cause significantly less sensory irritation than parabens do. The hope is that these findings can help researchers to devise ways to preserve cosmetics while ensuring appropriate product quality during cosmetics development.
