Preservatives, as the name suggests, help keep things fresh. We use preservatives to help protect our products from bacteria, yeasts and moulds. We all know foods can spoil. Home and personal care products can deteriorate in the same way – particularly when stored in warm, humid environments, like bathrooms and kitchens that encourage the growth of bacteria, yeasts and moulds.
We assess each of our products to select the best preservative or combination of preservatives, considering factors such as the type of product, how it will be used and where it will be stored. For example, we take into account that some products will have a greater exposure to consumer contamination from skin flora, for example skin creams in open jars. We only include preservatives when they are needed and carefully control the amount we use. This ensures we use preservatives safely and responsibly.
In addition to complying with applicable laws and regulations, we conduct our own safety assessments and always monitor emerging scientific research and regulatory developments. If any new information becomes available, we assess it. If this information changes our previous risk assessment, we always take action.
We appreciate that some people prefer to avoid certain preservatives. With this in mind, we are sometimes able to develop products that do not include specific preservatives.
More about preservatives
Parabens
Parabens are a family of ingredients used as preservatives in personal care products, without them, products could be spoiled by bacteria, yeasts and moulds. Authorities around the world support the use of some types of parabens as preservatives for personal care products. Safety is our top priority and the parabens we use are safe and help keep our products in good condition.
We know some people prefer to use products without parabens or without certain types of parabens, so we also offer alternatives.
Formaldehyde Donors
We do not use formaldehyde as a preservative in our products. However, in certain regions, we do use ‘formaldehyde donors’, such as dimethyl-dimethylhydantoin (also referred to as “DMDMH”) in some home and personal care products. Formaldehyde donors release low levels of formaldehyde throughout the shelf-life of a product, protecting it from spoiling while staying within regulated levels. We do not use formaldehyde donors in our baby care products.
Regulators and scientists around the world agree that formaldehyde donors are safe at the levels used in home and personal care products.
Phenoxyethanol
Phenoxyethanol is one of the most common preservatives used in personal care and home care products. We use it in certain personal care products, including moisturisers, cleansers, soaps, cleansing wipes and baby skin creams. We also use it in some laundry liquid detergents and household cleaners.
Phenoxyethanol has a proven track record as a safe and effective preservative. Our safety assessments show that phenoxyethanol is an effective and safe cosmetic product preservative for all ages when used in line with levels permitted by global cosmetic regulations.
Your questions answered
Why does Unilever use different preservatives in different products?
Each preservative has different qualities. Some preservatives work better against different types of bacteria, yeasts and moulds than others or work better with certain ingredient combinations.
In deciding which preservative to use, we consider questions such as: How will the product be manufactured and transported? What is the climate of the country where it is sold? How is the person likely to use and store it? If it is a personal care product, is it a leave-on product, like face cream, or a rinse-off item, such as shower gel? If it is a home care product, what kind of surfaces will it be used on, or is it used to wash items by hand or in a washing machine or a dish washer?
The answers to these questions help determine which preservative or combination of preservatives is most suitable.
Are preservatives assessed for safety?
Yes. The preservatives we use have been assessed for safety - both by our own safety experts and by external authorities. We always comply with national laws and regulations. We also have our own global standards that ensure we have a consistent approach to the safe use of preservatives. We use the appropriate amount to maintain product quality and safety and ensure that each preservative works safely with other ingredients in the same product.
Do all products include preservatives?
We only use preservatives when they are needed. Preservatives are often essential in protecting against bacteria, yeasts and moulds. However, some products do not need preservatives, because their ingredients, packaging or intended use inhibits contamination. These are often referred to as ‘self-preserving’.
We appreciate that some people like to avoid certain preservatives if they can. With this in mind, we are also sometimes able to develop products that do not contain specific preservatives.