Frequency of Preservatives Usage  in the USA

According to the data, presented by cosmetic companies to FDA in the context of voluntary registration of cosmetic products and published in the form of tables, one can get acquainted with the frequency of preservatives use in the USA.  This year cosmetic companies could send their information concerning ingredients, used in their products, via Internet thus considerably simplifying the process. The result is – 25% increase in the number of participants of the program.  In 2005 FDA had got data concerning 22228 formulations and in 2007 there were already 27771.

As well as in 2005, in 2007 the first ten preservatives were methylparaben, propylparaben, phenoxyethanol, butylparaben, ethylparaben, imadazolidinyl urea, isobutylparaben, DMDM hydantoin,  methylizotiazolinon and methylchloroizotiazolinon.

The first two in the table are methyl and propylparaben. For the last two years these preservatives were used even more in spite of the series of publications in popular mass media concerning possible adverse effect of parabens. More than 11000 formulations contained methylparaben in 2007, whereas in 2005 there were less than 8000. More than 9000 formulations contained propylparaben in 2007 and only 6000 formulations contained propylparaben in 2005.

The third is phenoxyethanol. Its use has been tripled in 2007 as compared with 2005. Usage of butylparaben and ethylparaben has also increased.

Usage of natural preservatives, such as benzoic acid, lactoperoxidase, thymol, grapefruit seed  extract  is increased noticeably. Nevertheless the total quantity of formulations containing natural preservatives remains very poor.