Aliphatic 1,2-diol combinations - A safe way to reduce preservatives in cosmetic formulations

摘要

The use of high concentrations of preservatives like parabens and phe-noxyethanol is increasingly discussed as a potential cause of adverse skin reactions like irritation and/or contact sensitization.Aliphatic 1,2-diols like 1,2-pentane-diol,1,2-hexanediol or 1,2-octanediol are frequently used in cosmetic applications because of their excellent moisturizing properties.Besides,it is known that these aliphatic 1,2-diols also possess anti-microbial activity.The aim of this study was to evaluate systematically the anti-microbial properties of 1,2-alkanediols,their mixtures and especially the combinations of 1,2-alkanediols with preservatives to evaluate their potential use as preservative boosters.Our investigations showed that combinations of aliphatic 1,2-diols in most cases possess lower MIC values than the single diols alone.Further investigations showed that synergistic combinations of aliphatic 1,2-diols,especially a 1:1 combination of 1,2-hexanediol and 1,2-octanediol,will help reduce the dosage of many preservatives in cosmetic formulations.