Substances whereby cosmetic manufacturers can extend the shelf life of products. The fiction is widely spread that preservatives protect consumers, but they really allow the manufacturer by allowing products to sit around in warehouses without going bad. When a real, natural cosmetic goes bad, you know it right away by its appearance and color, just as you do with real, natural food. When a preserved food or cosmeticgoes bad, you don’t know it; one of the deadliest food poisons is botulism, for example, which is unidentifiable through odor and appearance. Don’t buy the phoney “fresher-than-thou” hokum that synthetic “natural” cosmetic manufacturers push on the public: natural cosmetics can be preserved naturally, which is much safer for the consumer.
This article's lead section contains information that is not included elsewhere in the article. (May 2021) |
A preservative is a substance or a chemical that is added to products such as food products, beverages, pharmaceutical drugs, paints, biological samples, cosmetics, wood, and many other products to prevent decomposition by microbial growth or by undesirable chemical changes. In general, preservation is implemented in two modes, chemical and physical. Chemical preservation entails adding chemical compounds to the product. Physical preservation entails processes such as refrigeration or drying. Preservative food additives reduce the risk of foodborne infections, decrease microbial spoilage, and preserve fresh attributes and nutritional quality. Some physical techniques for food preservation include dehydration, UV-C radiation, freeze-drying, and refrigeration. Chemical preservation and physical preservation techniques are sometimes combined.
