The request for safe and effective preservative-free solutions has seen a huge transformation in recent times. The latest trend is focusing on multifunctional ingredients, which blend the preservation efficacy with others – such as soothing, moisturising or odour masking – fulfilling multiple roles according to the product’s characteristics, trends or claims.
This new approach appeals busy formulators, who are tempted because they can shorten their research, and marketing, for the possibility to adhere to the “clean beauty” trend. It’s an overall rethinking of the cosmetic product, with microbial inhibitors no longer considered as mere functional ingredients performing an important role without being noticed, but as active elements of the formula.
Sinerga has launched a new concept of protection with two multifunctional ingredients:
Mintiol is a natural and Cosmos microbial inhibitor with soothing and refreshing properties. It is a mint derivative able to act both as a complete preservative solution (suggested dosage: 2%) and as a booster of other preserving substances (from 0.5% to 1.6%), such as Sodium Benzoate or Potassium Sorbate, the most used substances in Cosmos formulation.
Parfiol is a blend of esters and aromatic alcohols that combines the formulative protection with odour masking properties, conferring a pleasant creamy olfactory note to the cosmetic. It is enough 1% of Parfiol to completely preserve the formula, otherwise, it can be used as a booster of the co-microbial inhibitors. From an internal panel, 0.5% of Parfiol is already able to have odor masking properties against ingredients with a characteristic scent.
Both have a wide spectrum of activity on microorganisms and are effective in a wide range of pH, from 4 to 9. MIC analysis and challenge tests for several formulations with Mintiol and Parfiol are available on request.