Preservative Options and Boosters in Emulsion Formulas

Subject: Regarding Preservatives

Thank you for your question about choosing a preservative system for your oil-in-water emulsion.

You asked for advice on two options:

1. Pentylene Glycol 3% + Phenoxyethanol 0.3%
2. Mild Preserved 1% (mixed in oil)

Regarding which option is more cost-effective, comprehensive, safe, or equivalent, the staff's response indicates that while one might be more effective than the other, there is no definitive data available to confirm this. However, both options are considered sufficient for controlling microbial growth under conditions of high production hygiene and when the product is packaged in sealed containers that prevent easy contamination.

Regarding your second question about whether Pentylene Glycol can act as a preservative booster for Mild Preserved in the same way it does for Phenoxyethanol at the same ratio:

The staff explained that Mild Preserved itself already contains a preservative booster, which is Caprylyl Glycol. Caprylyl Glycol acts as a booster for Ethylhexylglycerin, which is the primary preservative component in Mild Preserved. This system is similar to the combination of Pentylene Glycol (booster) + Phenoxyethanol (preservative). Therefore, Mild Preserved already has a built-in boosting mechanism, and adding Pentylene Glycol might not provide the same additional boosting effect as it does for Phenoxyethanol.