Os principais conservantes utilizados na produção de cosméticos

Abstract

Cosmetics emerged a long time ago, having their first records by the Egyptians who painted their eyes, prepared their skin creams. The emergence of the cosmetics industries took place in the early twentieth century, as many women were already working and required ready-made products due to lack of time. Today, these products are increasingly gaining prominence in the market, targeting not only the female audience, but also the male, due to the concern to maintain a good appearance, have proper skin care. However, despite their advantages, cosmetics have sources of contamination (such as water) that can cause the growth of microorganisms. Thus, it is important to add substances to prevent such contamination, such as preservatives. However, despite inhibiting the growth of microorganisms, these substances can provoke allergic reactions to users, being important to evaluate their properties. Parabens are examples of preservatives used at a maximum allowable concentration of 0.4-0.8%. Although it has a broad spectrum of action, the literature warns about its estrogenic effects. Phenoxyethanol is used in cosmetics up to 1% and is often associated with parabens. Despite few reports of allergic reactions due to phenoxyethanol use, studies address that it may cause a decrease in blood pressure and heart rate. Formaldehyde is a substance with permissible use as a preservative (maximum concentration 0.2%) and as a nail hardening agent (maximum concentration 5%). Its use for hair treatments is worrying because of the many effects it can cause, such as breathing disorders. Methylchloroisothiazolinone / methylisothiazolinone (MCI / MI) is an example of a preservative that has been on the market since the 1970s. Despite being widely used, allergic reactions caused by its use have been reported. Imidazolidinyl urea is a preservative compatible with many cosmetic ingredients, however, as it is a formaldehyde releasing compound, its use is the subject of many questions. DMDM- Hydantoin is considered a broad spectrum biocide in cosmetics. Like imidazolidinyl urea, it is also considered a formaldehyde releaser. Benzoic acid and its derivatives (mainly sodium benzoate) are widely used as preservatives. Nevertheless, its use can be toxic to humans. Thus, choosing the ideal preservative becomes a challenge, and it is important to analyze its properties, the maximum concentrations allowed by Anvisa, evaluate what the literature reports on the use of each and thus choose the preservative that may be less toxic and more effective for the user.