Can packaging help with preservative challenges in beauty?

The cosmetics packaging player has signed an industrial and commercial agreement with Pylote, a French industrial company specializing in mineral and green ceramic chemistry, meaning Cosmogen can integrate Pylote technology into its products.

The technology from Pylote is based on the antimicrobial effect that its green mineral microspheres confer to the materials they are incorporated in, and that enter into the manufacture of the product, such as foams or brush fibers.

These microspheres are obtained through a patented green manufacturing process in a single step, without any organic solvent or waste. Cosmogen says this makes it cleaner and safer for the consumer.

“The tests carried out by Pylote have demonstrated the effectiveness of this innovation made in France in its protective role, which has won several awards (Pharmapack Award, CPhl Pharma Award, Packaging Award, CSR Solutions Award),”​ says Cosmogen.

“It is also COSMOS approved and in compliance with FDA, international cosmetic, pharmaceutical and food regulations.”​

Preservative crisis?​

We spoke to Dr Barbara Brockway,  formulation expert and director of personal care at AppliedDNA Sciences, about why the industry is facing this challenging situation regarding preservatives.

“The preservative crisis in the cosmetic industry is very real. Regulated markets such as the EU, have restricted positive lists of the preservatives, that are authorised for use in cosmetics under the conditions specified. The problem is, these lists are getting shorter,​” she explained.

“The positive list of preservatives under the EU Cosmetic Products Regulation ((EC) No. 1223/2009), is ‘closed’ at the moment and animal testing bans etc. make it very difficult to get new preservatives accepted onto these lists.​

“Formulators are seeing themselves running out of allowed preservatives and to make the situation worse, by relying on fewer authorised preservatives, we are in danger of entering a vicious circle that could result in more preservatives being removed from these positive lists.”​

Cosmogen’s focus​

Cosmogen seems to be one packaging player taking up the challenge when it comes to preserving personal care formulations.

The company says this new agreement with Pylote is part of its broader innovation strategy which is specifically targeting the need for packaging solutions that minimise the need for preservative ingredients.

"This partnership with pylote® fits a key objective for consumers, whose demand for hygienic, safe and healthy products is growing strongly,​” confirms Renaud van den Berg, CEO of Cosmogen.

“It has become the major concern of international cosmetics brands, which are facing regulations. Our mission is therefore to provide them with an innovative, but also realistic, industrial, reliable and value-added solution.”​