Preservatives stop your products growing bacteria, mould, and yeast. Phenoxyethanol, parabens, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate.
Unpopular but true: preservatives are a safety feature. A “preservative-free” water-based cream is a petri dish with a nice label, especially in our climate. The paraben panic traces back to one small 2004 study that even its author said didn’t demonstrate harm; every major regulator that has reviewed parabens since considers them safe at cosmetic concentrations. Brands market “paraben-free” because fear sells, then use a different preservative anyway.
What we flag instead: water-based products with no visible preservative system, and “all natural, no preservatives” claims. Those are the actual red flags.
The BYOUT Library is educational content, not personalised medical advice. For persistent or severe skin concerns, a dermatologist beats any article, including ours.