Why are there preservatives in cosmetics

With all the fear mongering that goes on about cosmetic preservatives, it is no wonder consumers and some cosmetic manufacturers wonder why they can't make products without those "nasty" cell-killing chemicals. Well, there is a good reason. Because if preservatives are not included your cosmetics would be too dangerous to use and could spread diseases.

Here is just a sampling of some of the things that preservatives are protecting you from. These microbes have been found growing in cosmetics ranging from lotions, shampoo/conditioners to lipsticks,etc.

Bacteria

Gram Negative Non-Fermentors Acinetobacter sp. - Can cause life-threatening infections in compromised individuals. Alcaligenes sp. - Opportunistic infections Pseudomonas sp.(putida, fluorescens, pausimobilis, aeruginosa, etc) - Second most common infection in hospitals Gram Negative Fementors Citrobacter freundii - Can cause life-threatening infections in compromised individuals. Enterobacter sp. ( agglomerans, aerogenes, gergoviae) -  infections include bacteremia, lower respiratory tract infections, skin infections, soft tissue infections, urinary tract infections, UTI, endocarditis, intraabdominal infections, septic arthritis, osteomyelitis, and ophthalmic infections. Klebsiella sp. (oxytoca, pneumonia) - Causes pneumonia. Proteus sp. - Causes mastoiditis Serratia sp. ( marcescens, odorifera rubidaea) - opportunistic pathogen Gram Positive Bacillus sp. Staphylococcus aureus - Staph infections Staphylococcus epidermidis - Staph infections Enterococcus sp. - urinary tract infections Streptococcus sp. - Strep throat.  Meningitis Propionibacterium sp. - Acne

Yeasts

Candida sp. - Can cause thrush.  Systemic infection kills 40 - 50% of people infected. Saccharomyces sp. - Food spoilage Torula sp. Zygosaccharomyces sp.

Molds

Absidia sp. - Causes Mucormycosis...ewh. Alternaria sp. - Human allergen Aspergillus sp. -Produces aflatoxin which is both a toxin and a carcinogen Citromyces sp. Cladosporium sp. - reported to cause infections of the skin and toenails Dematium sp. Fusarium sp. - Infections may occur in the nails or the cornea Helminthosporium sp.- Asthma and respiratory infections Hormodendrum sp. - Allergies Mucor sp. Geotrichum sp. - Causative agent of geotrichosis Paecilomyces sp. Penicillium sp. Phoma sp. - Can cause cutaneous or subcutaneous infections. Aureobasidium sp. - Can damage lungs Rhizopus sp. - Can cause a fatal fungal infection zygomycosis Thamnidium sp. Trichothecium sp. Verticillium sp.

So the next time you're thinking about slathering on a personal care product that hasn't been properly preserved, just think about all the microbes that you could be putting on.  And then imagine those same microbes wrecking havoc on your immune system.

Is that really worth it to you or your customer?

Reference: Brannan, Daniel K. Ed., Cosmetic Microbiology: A Practical Handbook. CRC Press , Boca Raton, FL., 1997. Chapter 2.