Preservatives
Preservatives help keep products fresh and stable throughout their shelf life. Many everyday products, such as hand soap, lotions, cleaners and polishes, contain water. Over time, the water can create an environment in which microbes like bacteria, mold, or yeast can grow. Without preservatives, these products could spoil, develop unpleasant odors, or stop working as intended, especially when stored in warm, humid places like bathrooms and kitchens.
Unlike disinfectants or hand sanitizers, preservatives are not designed to kill germs on surfaces or skin. Instead, they protect the product itself, helping prevent microbial growth inside the container during normal use.
Not all products need preservatives. Some formulas are naturally resistant to microbial growth due to their ingredients, pH, or packaging. But in many cases, especially for products that are water-based, preservatives play an important role in maintaining product quality.
How Preservatives are Chosen
Preservatives are carefully selected and generally used at low levels. The choice of preservative depends on the product and how it will be used. Different preservatives work better with certain ingredients, are more effective against specific types of microbes, or have differing safety profiles.
Formulation details like water content, pH, and ingredient combinations all matter. Real-world use also plays a role, including how the product is stored, the climate it’s used in and how people interact with it - such as using a pump versus dipping fingers into a jar. These factors help determine which preservative, or combination of preservatives, is the best fit.
Preservatives are closely regulated worldwide and their use in consumer products is carefully assessed for safety by agencies such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Food & Drug Administration (FDA), as well as the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). In some cases, options may be limited by regulatory requirements or ingredient compatibility. When used as intended, preservatives help ensure products remain fresh, effective, and reliable throughout their lifespan.
How SC Johnson Approaches Preservatives
We are mindful that some consumers wish to avoid specific preservatives. We strive to select the most appropriate preservative for each product and are transparent about those choices, so that consumers can make informed decisions for their family.
Some preservatives are associated with potential health or environmental effects and are included on SC Johnson’s Restricted Use Materials list. These are ingredients we avoid using or use only in very small amounts. In some cases, alternative preservatives may not provide the same level of protection or may not work as well with a specific formula or manufacturing process. When that happens, we may choose to use a preservative on our Restricted Use Materials list at carefully restricted levels based on product type, considering how the product is used, and who may come into contact with it. All ingredients are subject to rigorous safety review, and our products meet or exceed regulatory requirements in every market where they are sold. We also continue to evaluate new alternatives as they become available to reduce or replace ingredients where possible.
Here’s a look at a few commonly discussed preservatives:
Formaldehyde is a naturally occurring substance found throughout the environment. It is present in small amounts in certain fruits and vegetables and is produced by the human body as part of normal metabolic processes.
While formaldehyde has broad-spectrum preservative properties that are effective at very low levels, it is rarely added directly to consumer products. Instead, a group of ingredients known as formaldehyde releasers may be used in products such as household cleaners, disinfectant wipes and some personal care items. Formaldehyde releasers work by slowly releasing very small, controlled amounts of formaldehyde over time. This helps protect the formula from spoiling during normal storage and use, keeping it stable and effective. Examples of formaldehyde releasers that may appear on product labels include DMDM hydantoin, glyoxal and diazolidinyl urea.
Are there concerns associated with formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers?
The National Toxicology Program (NTP) classifies formaldehyde as a known, human carcinogen, particularly when inhaled. At elevated levels, formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers can cause skin, eye or respiratory tract irritation, or allergic reactions in some people. They can also be toxic to aquatic life at higher concentrations. However, they are not expected to accumulate or persist in the environment.
Formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers are tightly regulated by health and environmental agencies worldwide, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and regulators in the European Union. Formaldehyde is heavily restricted in several product categories and often banned in cosmetics, and some formaldehyde releasers are restricted in cosmetics/personal care products in certain countries. All SC Johnson products undergo thorough safety review to meet global regulations and internal standards.
Because of the above concerns, formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers are included on the SC Johnson Restricted Use Materials list. We take great care to use these preservatives in very limited situations and only at carefully restricted levels, designed to deliver only the amount of formaldehyde needed to prevent microbial growth. We strive to select the most appropriate preservative for each product and to be transparent about those choices, so that consumers can make informed decisions for their family.
Reference: California Safe Cosmetics Product Database Formaldehyde