Preservative Usage Rate for Face and Eye Area Products
Question
If using a combination of Eye Preserved™ at 0.5% and Phenoxyethanol SA at 0.5% in a product applied to the entire face, will it have any effect on the eyes?
Answer
Based on the staff's response, using a combination of Eye Preserved™ at 0.5% and Phenoxyethanol SA at 0.5% in a product applied to the entire face, including the eye area, is acceptable.
The staff explained that while FDA regulations don't specify different usage rates for face, body, or eye area, some preservatives can be irritating around the eyes. Therefore, using a lower concentration for eye area products is recommended if possible. If a lower concentration is used, other preservatives should be added to ensure efficacy.
Regarding your specific question about using Eye Preserved™ 0.5% and Phenoxyethanol SA 0.5% together on the whole face, the staff confirmed that this is acceptable. They also mentioned that using Phenoxyethanol SA 1.0% alone is also fine for the eye area, as it contains Phenoxyethanol at a concentration (0.5%) that is generally considered less irritating for that area, along with other preservatives for effective microbial control.
