By being personally involved in the birthing of many Kasia Organic creations,  I know first hand how difficult it is to choose a preservative that is both safe for prolonged usage and effective as a broad spectrum.  At Kasia we use ingredients that are safe for our guests health.  The newest technology on the market has proven that HIGH antioxidant blends truly do sustain the longevity of natural and organic blends.

By design, preservatives must be effective at killing cells. Unfortunately, this is also what creates the potential health hazards that concern both consumers and consciencious manufacturers.  Every preservation system currently available carries with it some degree of risk.  The evidence against some is quite compelling and these should be avoided whenever possible.  However, many preservatives - while still imperfect - have the potential to protect us from the consequences of product contamination without creating unnecessary or unreasonable health risks.

Women + Xenoestrogens Connection In the 1990s, parabens were deemed xenoestrogens―agents that mimic estrogen in the body. “Estrogen disruption” has been linked to breast cancer and reproductive issues. And in 2004 British cancer researcher Philippa Darbre, Ph.D., found parabens present in malignant breast tumors. As a result, experts in many countries are recommending limits on paraben levels in cosmetic products. What’s more, watchdog organizations worry that if parabens can be stored in the body, over time they could have a cumulative effect and pose a health risk.

The most common broad-spectrum preservatives to avoid:

• Parabens
• Formaldehyde Donors
• Phenol Derivatives
• Ethylene Oxide Derivatives
• Alcohols
• Isothiazolones
• Glycols
• Acids

It may require some investigating to identify which ingredients listed on a label represent the preservation system.

Kasia Natural and Organic Products include the following leading preservative ingredients:

Antioxidants: Antioxidants slow or prevent the oxidation of other molecules. While antioxidants are only minimally effective at protecting against microorganisms, they can substantially reduce the potential for rancidity of oils, thereby slowing contamination of oil-based formulations.

Vitamins: Vitamin A (retinol), Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), and Vitamin E (tocopherol) are all recognized as having varying degrees of anti-microbial properties.

Citric Acid: Citric acid has both antioxidant and preservative properties and can play an effective role as part of a preservative system for cosmetics.

Essential Oils: Tea Tree, Eucalyptus, Lavender, Lemon, Rosemary, Sage and Sandalwood essential oils are among the most well known plant oils used for their anti-microbial properties.  They must typically be used with other preservatives as the concentration required to fully protect a product would likely exceed the recommendations for safe usage.

Extracts: The three most commonly used extracts related to cosmetic preservation are Rosemary Oil Extract, Honeysuckle Flower Extract and Grapefruit Seed Extract.  Read more about why they are effective and to what degree they protect formulations from contamination.