USE OF PRESERVATIVES, IN PARTICULAR PARABENS, IN COSMETIC PRODUCTS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11603/2312-0967.2025.3.15518Keywords:
cosmetic products, microbiological quality, preservatives, parabens, safetyAbstract
The aim of the work is to analyze current data on the use of preservatives, in particular parabens, in cosmetic products.
Materials and Methods: publications from various databases, including PubMed, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, Ukrainian regulatory documents, and opinions of scientific organizations were analyzed.
Results and Discussion. The microbiological evaluation of cosmetic product includes the microbiological characteristics of the substances or mixtures, the finished product, and the results of the preservation test. According to current requirements, the production of cosmetic products must comply with the requirements of Good Manufacturing Practice to reduce the risks of microbial contamination during production, and preservatives are required to be added to ensure the microbiological purity of the product during storage and use. At the same time, preservatives are most often associated with the occurrence of adverse reactions and the overall safety of the product. Therefore, when choosing preservative, a number of factors must be taken into account, including the product type and the maximum permissible concentration in the finished product. This article presents characteristics of one of the most common preservatives in cosmetic products – parabens, including their physical-chemical and antimicrobial properties, as well as aspects of their safety.
Conclusions. Preservatives are essential ingredients of cosmetic products that ensure microbiological quality, but also can cause the undesirable reactions. Parabens hold a significant place among the preservatives used in cosmetic products. Physical-chemical properties and antimicrobial effect of paraben compounds depend on the length of the ester group chain. Considering the potential endocrine activity of parabens, there are certain limitations and precautions regarding their use.
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