Why Use Preservatives in Natural Products?

People sometimes ask us why we use preservatives in our natural products. As a manufacturer and distributor of natural products, we strive to make our products as natural as possible. However, one reality of modern life is that we need preservatives in certain products. To get many (especially natural) products from the manufacturer to you requires some sort of preservative. Products are often shipped from manufacturer through distributors, shipping warehouses and other places that add time (and often heat) before the product ever reaches you. To get that product to you and to have a reasonable shelf life requires that certain products be preserved, in some fashion. Otherwise, you’d shortly end up with some pretty funky stuff instead of the product you paid for. Is it inconvenient to have a rotting product? Yes. But, even worse, some of those nasties that can grow in your products are harmful to your health. Preservatives of some kind will almost always be needed in products where water is present. Water is the basis of all life, including bacteria, fungi and molds. Products without preservatives may have a short shelf life, even if refrigerated. Products that are not properly preserved, even if made in a pristine environment and free of microbes when shipped, can become a health risk when exposed to the yeast, mold, fungi and bacteria present in all of our homes.

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A question that we are asked pretty often is about alcohol in hair care products. People have been told that alcohol is drying for hair. This is an example of a case where a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. It has been commonly reported that alcohol in your hair products is bad for you. You’ve been told “alcohol is drying”. This is both true and not true.

Alcohol is a family of chemicals, not a single chemical. Instead of referring to a chemical as alcohol, it should be called an alcohol. Or, it should be referred to by its more descriptive name. Most of what you’ve been told about alcohol was probably people referring to ethanol. Ethanol is only one alcohol. It’s commonly used in hair spray products. It’s also quite handy in a beer or a margarita. Another alcohol you’re probably familiar with is isopropyl alcohol or rubbing alcohol. While they’re fairly similar, if you were ordering a margarita, you’d definitely want ethanol, not the isopropyl alcohol. Technically speaking an alcohol is a substance containing an OH group attached to a hydrocarbon group. You probably don’t care about that. But, what you should know is that alcohols can have very, very different properties. Different alcohols are used in different products for different reasons. There are literally thousands of alcohols. Some are solid. Some are liquid. Some alcohols can be ingested. Other alcohols would kill you if you drank them. So, a blanket statement like “Alcohol in your hair products is bad” is inaccurate.

Many alcohols are downright healthy for hair. Others are not so good for hair and skin. Alcohols used to make a product more volatile (evaporate quickly) are not good for hair. Ethanol is one of those alcohols. However, alcohols that are “fatty” actually help add moisture to hair and skin and soften them. You will find these alcohols in the finest, hydrating (moisturizing) hair products. The following alcohols are some examples. They are waxy substances, not liquids. They are far from drying.

cetearyl alcohol- This alcohol is derived naturally. It is often found in hair conditioners. It provides the creamy consistency and makes it easier to distribute the product throughout the hair. This is an especially beneficial ingredient in Black hair care products because it also lubricates the hair making it easier to comb.

cetyl alcohol- This is a fatty alcohol that is derived from coconut and palm oils. Far from drying, this alcohol is actually an emollient (makes hair and skin softer).

stearyl alcohol- another fatty alcohol. It is nothing like ethanol, it is is actually a white solid and is insoluble in water. Stearyl alcohol is often used in conditioners and shampoos and acts as an emollient (softener).

So when you’re looking over those product labels, you’ll need to know a little more about the specific type of alcohol in the product before you can make an informed decision about the product. Many fine shampoos and conditioners contain some very good alcohols.

People have asked us what our opinion is on hydroquinone. Hydroquinone is a fairly controversial ingredient used in many skin lightening creams and gels. Hydroquinone is highly effective, which is why it’s used so commonly. It has been established as probably the most effective treatment for hyperpigmentation; although other treatments are coming along and we offer alternatives on our website.

Over-the-counter products can only contain up to 2% of hydroquinone by law. Hydroquinone, at this level is relatively safe for most people. And hydroquinone is effective. At higher concentrations (it is available in 4% and even more by prescription), it can have pretty serious side effects. Hydroquinone is not a bleaching agent. It prevents skin from making melanin, which gradually leads to skin fading. Hydroquinone doesn’t actually lighten skin, it disrupts new pigment production. As the older skin cells are sloughed off and the newer ones rise to the surface, the replacement skin cells don’t contain the excess pigment and skin gets lighter. This is a slight but important distinction.

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