A year-plus of lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic shifted the public conversation to health and safety. And while consumers remain consumed with killing germs, they haven’t let go of their penchant for personal care and home care products made with natural ingredients. Preservative suppliers are rising to the challenges of 2021 with expanded toolkits that allow manufacturers to protect the integrity of their formulations which must meet consumer and retailer demands for “clean” and natural.

“Incorporation of natural extracts, actives, plant based, sugar derived ingredients, etc. makes it very challenging to preserve and maintain the integrity of the finished product,” said Rishabh Shah, director of technology at Acme-Hardesty. “Safety and wellbeing of consumers are topmost priorities of brands and contract manufacturers while delivering unique properties via a formulation.”

According to Shah, as a result of the pandemic, there is a paradigm shift in the way brands and contract manufacturers look at NPD. As such, preservation experts are delivering a wider range of solutions.

“Conventional, clean label preservative solutions are making a comeback that are known for its effectiveness and superior activity,” said Shah. “We work very closely with formulators to understand the need of a specific project. We collaborate with them to define and build a defense strategy to enhance the protection and shelf life of the product.”

Acme-Hardesty’s principal partner is Sharon Laboratories, a manufacturer of preservatives for a wide range of applications and end products. Included in those solutions is the Sharomix Amplify line, which offers flexibility to develop unique formulations while maintaining effectiveness against bacteria, mold and yeast, and Sharo-Sense Plus 181-N, a natural solution to ever-growing consumer demand for a “clean label” ingredients.

According to Shah, SharoSense Plus 181-N is composed of two ingredients—Maltol and a cationic surfactant that offers superior activity, broad spectrum protection with a minimal use level. This technology is effective across a wide range of pH (especially neutral range), offers broad temperature stability and water solubility, and is suitable for leave on, rinse off and wet wipes applications. It is also safe for sensitive facial and eye areas, making it an effective preservative solution for facial color cosmetic products.

Value Proposition

Leading suppliers Happi spoke with are expanding their product ranges and investing in their operations to meet the current and future needs.

Pat Lutz, president, Lincoln MFG-USA, says formulators have come to rely on Linatural Ultra-1, Linatural Ultra-3, and Linatural Ultra-MFN for natural preservation in premium lotions, body washes and shampoos because they’re highly effective microbial blocking agents, and because they add value to formulations with emolliency and moisturization. Derived from things like corn, sugar cane, and mastic water, these premium components are completely natural and highly effective, he told Happi.

Among the newest offerings from Lincoln MFG-USA are HydroGuard H-20 and Essynce. HydroGuard H-20 is a multiple-patent-pending, multifunctional protectant against biodegradation. Preservative-free, this cosmetic ingredient has skin-conditioning agents and antioxidant properties that make it an ideal alternative to preservation. The Essynce line, which offers preservative-free stabilization and fragrance-free aromatic enhancements, features patent-pending products that are USDA-certified organic. They feature antioxidant properties and support claims of being fragrance- and preservative-free, and like all of Lincoln’s products, are made in the US and 100% cruelty-free.

After opening an 8,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in 2019, Lincoln expanded to 16,000-sq.-ft. this year, with in-house development, testing and tolling facilities. In addition, Lincoln created a wing dedicated to organic manufacturing and has been certified organic by the USDA.

Investment and deep expertise makes Lincoln a problem-solver. For example, a customer recently came to Lincoln to troubleshoot an issue with a mask formulation.

“Every preservative they tried had failed. Mask formulations are notoriously difficult, and neither traditional nor alternative preservatives were effective enough for their needs,” said Lutz. “We developed an alternative preservative system based on Lincoserve WpH-LO Plus, which is 65% natural and contains chlorphenesin. This combination is very effective in preserving masks, gels and other difficult formulations, and worked wonderfully for our customer.”

Lutz also told Happi that Lincoln MFG has been seeing success with its NuSolutions line, which is dedicated to finding new approaches to long-standing formulation problems. According to Lutz, the company is excited about the explosive growth of the range, which is meeting the needs of a wide range of customers, and empowering Lincoln MFG to take its creativity to the next level.

“It’s clear that retail customers are hungry for innovation, which means we need to support our customers with fresh thinking and innovative components to power their formulations,” he explained.

Leading providers help brands meet their consumers where they are—and right now that means keeping health and wellbeing at the fore.

“Customers care what goes in, and on, their bodies. We see this as a good thing for everyone. It results in safer, more stable products for the end-user, and keeps our industry pushing forward to create better, more innovative products,” said Lutz. “What’s more, by focusing on natural alternatives to preservation, our whole industry is becoming better stewards of the environment, which enhances our standing with the public.”

Benefits Beyond

Preservatives can play a role beyond their primary function; today’s providers are offering technologies that can enhance the performance and aesthetics of finished products, too.

“At Ashland we combine well-known preservatives with multifunctionals and booster technologies leveling up value. The resulting products provide microbial stability and they add additional benefits to cosmetic products,” said Matthias Hentz, senior head of preservatives marketing.

As an example, Hentz pointed to ethylhexylglycerin.

“Sensiva sc 50 is one of the world’s most important multifunctional cosmetic ingredients. Besides being a globally accepted deodorant active, ethylhexylglycerin improves fragrance fixation on the skin and acts as an emollient and mild humectant leading to an improved skin feeling. However, sensiva sc 50 is also widely known for its ability to boost the activity of preservatives and antimicrobial actives,” noted Hentz.

“With our customers in mind, our goal is to achieve the maximum comprehensive antimicrobial activity. We have further improved the boosting potential of ethylhexylglycerin with octenidine HCl. The resulting product, euxyl K 830, therefore not only provides great efficacy but is fast-acting and a suitable safeguard for all personal care products.”

Overarching trends to buy green and sustainable products is influencing preservation needs.

“Customers today associate natural and nature identical with safety,” noted Andrea Wingenfeld, global marketing manager, preservatives at Ashland, which recently launched three preservatives that are suited for natural cosmetics.

The newest is Phyteq raspberry multifunctional, which acts as preservative potentiator protecting cosmetics against spoilage. Its additional skin benefits make it an excellent choice for personal care products because it acts as a strong antioxidant and free radical scavenger and helps to protect the elasticity of the skin, too. Globally approved and readily biodegradable, Phyteq is recognized by the consumer as natural, and generates a lot of interest as it works in a wide pH range and has excellent formulation compatibilities, Wingenfeld told Happi.

Ashland recently acquired the personal care business of Schülke & Mayr, adding the company’s highly skilled team and wide range of modern technologies, such as euxyl eco 910, which is based on ingredients inspired by nature.

“For euxyl eco 910, lemongrass is the perfect trend-setting addition to our well-established portfolio of antimicrobials. The striking scent brings freshness to every cosmetic product. Euxyl eco 910 creates a unique and appealing cosmetic product. It combines enhanced antimicrobial efficacy with broad pH range applicability, anti-inflammation and great scenting properties,” said Wingenfeld.

Another new product is effisin, a natural multifunctional that is an easy-to-process organic acid solution with bactericidal efficacy that consists of levulinic acid and water.

Wingenfeld called attention to its masking and skin-conditioning properties, adding that it can be used in combination with other antimicrobial substances or organic acids to fully develop its activity. It is suitable for leave- on, rinse-off or wet wipe formulations, according to Ashland.

With the increased use of natural raw materials, the sensitivity to microbial spoilage is also changing, noted Hentz.

“Microbiology is becoming more important and must be considered along with the full lifecycle of a product,” he said.

According to Hentz, together with formulators and microbiologists, Ashland determines the best fit for their individual needs and support with various challenge tests, such as CosPET. Ashland can also perform repetitive inoculation tests in its global laboratories if needed.

“Based on years of practical experience and our extensive microbiological expertise, we have always held the philosophy that far more microorganisms are relevant than required by standard challenge test methods such as USP, Pharm. Eur, DIN EN ISO 11930,” he said.

To protect against contamination, Ashland tests with an extended set of microorganisms (e.g. Pluralibacer gergoviae and Burkholderia cepacia).

Water is the main factor determining the growth of microorganisms in a cosmetic. The content of “free” water available to organisms therefore indicates the likeliness for contamination. Here, Ashland provides appropriate guidance and support with measurements of the aw-value.

“If a product appears to being prone to spoilage we advise on suitable antimicrobial ingredients, to ensure that the product is sufficiently protected,” said Hentz.

The Right Chemistry

According to Lisa Gandolfi, PhD, vice president marketing, Inolex’s newest innovations are centered on novel chemistries designed according to the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry that have demonstrated efficacy in preservative challenge tests on multiple formulation types.

For example, Lexgard Natural MHG MB is one of the company’s newest ingredients in the natural alternative preservation category. It protects formulations from microbial growth with strong efficacy against bacteria and yeast, and has demonstrated efficacy in natural emulsion, sunscreen, natural shampoo and wipes juice formulations.

“Lexgard Natural MHG is also truly multifunctional. In addition to preservation effects, it controls odor in deodorants and visibly reduces the whitening or soaping effect during emulsion rub-in. It’s also 100% natural, silicone-free, and sustainably sourced from castor and RSPO Mass Balance palm feedstocks,” she said.

As a leader in alternative approaches to preservation, supporting formulators throughout their product development process is core to Inolex, insisted Gandolfi. She said the company’s technical account managers and preservation specialists work with customers to identify the best preservation components or complete system to meet their specific marketing brief and formulation needs. Further, Inolex offers complimentary preservative efficacy testing as needed to confirm the right system for the right formulation.

“We also work closely with the formulator and their manufacturing scale up team to ensure proper processing and GMP conditions are in place to replicate the successful microbial control results from lab to scale up,” Gandolfi noted.

Perception & Reality

Suppliers pointed to the desire for healthy lifestyles as well as environmental protection as leading factors influencing today’s personal and household products marketplace. Today’s consumers are concerned about whether or not the products they use contain substances that are hazardous to health and the environment. They also want better labeling and clarification about ingredients, and, they are actively searching for information through media, social media and apps.

From the formulator’s perspective, there can be issues with information they glean.

“When it comes to the safety assessment of ingredients, they may find negative reports with no scientific data, or data that has been taken out of context. Claims have a major impact on the purchasing behavior of consumers,” said Wingenfeld.

According to Wingenfeld, the customer’s “wish to avoid devalued substances quickly runs through the entire supply chain and forces formulators to remove even allowed and safe ingredients from their list. This is especially true when it comes to preservatives. We observed during the COVID-19 pandemic that there was a better understanding for the need of preservation. The antimicrobial protection of cosmetic articles is enjoying greater acceptance today as consumers want to be sure that their personal care products do not contain harmful germs.”

As the market enters the post-pandemic phase, changes are afoot.

“We are all too familiar with the challenges the pandemic has created for our industry; we see many opportunities that have come about as well. Our customers are more aware that the skin microbiome needs to be kept in a healthy state to help defend and build a strong immune system,” said Nicholas A. Arellano, technical marketing manager, preservatives, Coast Southwest, Placentia, CA. “Formulators no longer assume that high levels of preservatives will equate with a high success rate.”

Arellano pointed to SharoSense Plus technology as an example of how companies can provide safe and effective preservative systems that do not require typical high-use levels that were previously required.

Coast Southwest supplies a vast array of commodity and specialty ingredients to the personal care market. In preservatives, it has a two-decade long partnership with Sharon Laboratories.

According to Arellano, Sharon’s dedication to “not only understanding what will work in personal care formulations but also in explaining how those preservative ingredients will work in specific formulations” creates a unique environment for customers to experiment with formulations calling for mild, low-use level preservatives.

“Formulators gain confidence from our laboratory analysis that the natural marketing they promote does not come at the expense of efficacy,” he insisted.

When a large color cosmetic company was looking to replace its powdered preservative system in its pressed and loose powder formulas, Coast Southwest tapped SharoSense Plus technology because of its exceptional antimicrobial efficacy at low-use levels. It also offered increased solubility and was paraben- and formaldehyde-free.

And there was another perk, according to Arellano.

“What was delightful and unexpected was how the market influencer and product testers involved loved and commented on the ‘fun’ smell that came through the reformulated powder,” Arellano shared. “Typically powders have a variety of characteristic odors. The Maltol smells a tiny bit sweet, a little like cotton candy at a carnival. Together, we and the customer created a cost-effective natural-like preservative solution for the new powder. We expected to succeed at that. The surprise was that the faint “sweet and fun odor” created the opportunity for a new, original marketing story to go with the new line of pressed and loose powders. Chemists and product managers were pleased.”

After last year, there is a strong interest in protecting against bacteria, asserted Arellano. “Think of how many times we now use hand sanitizer or soap on our hands throughout the day. With this emphasis on safety against bacteria—even though not all bacteria is ‘bad’— a developing tendency in the industry is to increase the use levels of preservatives, either in existing blends or by creating new blends,” he said.

“However, we shouldn’t assume that just because we used a certain preservative in a certain product for years, that same preservative at a greater use won’t cause harm,” he continued. “We need to continue to work smarter and closer with our customers as they create new products to continue to decrease use-levels and increase the efficacy without losing effectiveness bacteria change, and so should we.”

Jeen has been a leader in providing formaldehyde- and paraben-free preservation solutions. The company’s Jeecide CAP series—which is its best seller and consists of mixtures based on caprylyl glycol—is applicable across all personal care categories (including skin care, body, care personal cleansing, hair care), as well as color cosmetics, said Dr. Jed Riemer, head of regulatory at Jeen.

The range has been expanded with Jeecide CAP-7, which recognizes the growing trend of steering clear of phenoxyethanol with the goal of formulating “clean” beauty, noted marketing director Ezgi Todurge.

Jeecide CAP-7 is a multifunctional, synergistic antimicrobial system which does not contain traditional preservatives and can be used to impart microbial stability to preservative-free formulations. Jeecide CAP-7 is free of phenoxyethanol, formaldehyde releasers, MITs and parabens. Company officials say is an easy-to-use clear liquid that also offers emollient and skin conditioning properties to cosmetic formulations.

“Recently we’ve been fielding requests to assist our customers in transitioning away from phenoxyethanol for both skin and hair care,” noted Jeen’s sales manager James Francisco. “By utilizing our Jeecide CAP-7, in most cases, our technical experts have been able to help make this switch seamlessly without affecting any of the sensory or textural expectations.”

Post-Pandemic Positioning

As beauty, personal care and home care brands develop formulations that delight consumers and address their desires in the post-pandemic world, preservation will remain part and parcel to the process.

“The beauty and personal care industry was already under scrutiny for product safety, with preservation at the forefront. I expect to see the adoption of alternative approaches to traditional preservation continue to grow as it was pre-pandemic with a stronger focus on preservation efficacy emerging,” said Gandolfi. She insists that alternative solutions will have to be proven effective through standardized and rigorous testing at both lab scale and manufacturing scale.

“I also expect the claim of ‘preservative-free’ to lose favor with consumers both because of their personal experiences during the global pandemic and industry education of the safety value of a well-preserved product,” she said.

Lonza Specialty Ingredients (LSI), a preservative company with a comprehensive range of registered preservation and microbial protection systems, has well-recognized and established preservatives that have been trusted for decades.

In home care, LSI offers cost-effective, familiar and broadly-applicable active ingredients through its Proxel, Dantogard and Omacide product lines, and works with companies to solve specific needs for robust, cost-effective and reliable preservative. These are all key parts of any home care cleaning product’s manufacturing plant, its efficient operation and its plant hygiene.

Within the Latin American market, LSI invested in a focused program to design and produce bespoke preservatives tailored to the specific microbial control needs of a certain manufacturing plant.

“This ensures that processes run as smoothly as they should, and that the quality of consumer hard surface cleaning, dishwashing and laundry products leaving the factory remains as high as it should, increasing productivity, reducing the risk of QC rejections and product recalls as well as being in compliance to regulatory requirements and good manufacturing practices,” said Phil Hindley, director global market field home care preservation and laundry.

According to Josef Koester, director global market field personal care preservation at LSI, phenoxyethanol has become a leading preservative in cosmetic applications, with the highest market share in skin care applications. To further strengthen global acceptance and trust, and improved performance at an even lower dose level, LSI has a proprietary booster chemistry that takes microbial protection to a new level.

“Our novel Geogard Boost PHC is an optimized preservation system addressing the complexity of choosing the right preservative solution to meet ever-changing market demands while also keeping the integrity of the personal care product and protecting the consumer. It is the ideal choice to unleash the power of  trusted phenoxyethanol in personal care products,” Koester noted.

In the end, experts stress taking a holistic approach to formulation.

“Preservation cannot be an afterthought, just as a robust preservation choice cannot be made in isolation,” he said. “As formulations become more complex in response to evolving consumer demands, preservative selection needs to move upstream in the development process. Preservatives, just like us here within LSI, are team players.”