How Do Natural Cosmetics Keep from “Going Bad”?

Cosmetics can be a minefield of chemicals and mile-long ingredient lists. Want simple answers to your questions about natural makeup? Natural makeup artist Jessa Blades answers your questions.

Q: How are organic and natural cosmetics kept from “going bad” without preservatives (like parabens)? -Elitsa Somleva

A: Preservatives are a necessary part of personal care products. Without preservatives, creams and gels would become a breeding ground for microbes. Essential oils can be used as organic preservatives to prevent the growth of or destroy microorganisms that would otherwise damage the products.

The problem is not preservatives, almost all products require them. Preservatives allow the products a longer shelf life without going rancid or growing bacteria. So the issue isn’t preservatives, it’s the cheap, widely used, and possible dangerous preservatives that people should be concerned about. Parabens are suspected endocrine disruptors, quaternium-15 is a formaldehyde releaser and some of the newer preservatives used by mainstream personal care companies to replace parabens are no better. Certainly some products do not contain any preservatives — especially those that do not contain water, but they are few and far between. Meanwhile, vitamin E is a great preservative for some products, and other lines like Intelligent Nutrients have come up with their own blends of essential oils that do a great job preserving their products.