We are in an unregulated Wild West when in comes to “organic” or “natural” skincare. On one hand, any manufacturer can put a minuscule amount of a plant-derived ingredient in a bottle full of conventional synthetic chemicals and call it a botanical product. On the other, ANYONE can sell products online (I'm doing it right now!) and in North America none of it is regulated. I have seen a whole lot of brands, including high-end luxury brands that use no preservatives where they should. I’ve also seen antioxidants (that protect against rancidity but not microbial growth) in the place of good, robust, scientifically-tested preservatives being sold on shelves and in online retailers.
If you subscribed to the Hyangii newsletter, you would have received some more detailed information about me-my personal ingredient list. My background and education makes me highly skeptical and also concerned about safety over anything else. Luxurious ingredients are fun and effective, but preservative systems that protect again mold, yeast and bacteria are of utmost importance when it comes to skincare.
As a rule of thumb:
Formulations that contain NO water, don’t need a preservative (C1, C2, M2, H2, Body oils, lip balm are 100% oil/wax-based).
Highly acidic formulations are self-preserving (H1) as are formulations that contain greater than 25% alcohol (H3).
Formulas that contain water-based ingredients are preserved with an ECOCERT preservative (C3 AM, C3 PM, M1, M3).
However, due to the high botanical content in these products paired with milder preservatives, shelf-life is short compared to conventional products—about one year for 100% oil/wax-based formulas, and 9 months for the others.
When choosing ingredients for your skin, it is important to remember: the “dose is the poison” and not everything that is natural is good for you, especially when it has the ability to grow and multiply like microbes do!
Yours in safe skincare,
Cee