Microbial protection and prserving the balance of the skin microbiome with Cosphaderm® Multifunctionals
Cosphatec supports customers in selecting the right preservation strategy to effectively protect cosmetic products from microbial spoilage. Bacteria, yeasts and moulds can cause formulations to change colour, consistency or odour, or in the worst case, even pose a health risk to consumers.
For this purpose, we offer multifunctional ingredients with antimicrobial properties which, in addition to performing several functions for the skin and/or formulation, inhibit the growth of potentially pathogenic germs. However, not all microorganisms are „bad“ – on the contrary, some of them are even essential components of a healthy skin microbiome.
The skin microbiome comprises all microorganisms on the skin, including various bacteria and yeasts. Healthy skin maintains a certain balance between these microorganisms. If this balance is disrupted, it can lead to skin damage. For this reason, it is important to use products that leave the integrity of the microbiome largely unaffected and maintain the skin's natural balance.
In recent years, microbiome-friendly products have become a real trend in the cosmetics industry. These are formulations that have little or no effect on the composition of the skin microbiome.
To ensure this, the products Cosphaderm® Zinc Lactate natural, Cosphaderm® Magnolia Extract 98, Cosphaderm® Sodium LAAS and Cosphaderm® Capo from our portfolio were tested for skin microbiome compatibility.
The parameters vitality and diversity of the organisms in the skin microbiome and skin protection were evaluated for this purpose.
The evaluation of the individual parameters results in an overall assessment, which is summarised in the following table.
| Multifunctionals | assessment | interpretation |
Cosphaderm® Zinc Lactate natural | 1,94 | Good |
| Cosphaderm® Magnolia Extract 98 | 1,55 | Very good |
| Cosphaderm® Sodium LAAS | 1,66 | Good |
| Cosphaderm® Capo | 1,63 | Good |
| Control formulation without antimicrobial ingredients | 1,19 | Very good |
Good 1.5 -2.0
Incompatible <2,0<br />
The results showed that all multifunctionals tested exhibited good or even very good compatibility. They are therefore an excellent choice for protecting cosmetic products against pathogenic germs while maintaining the healthy balance of the skin microbiome.
Did you know?
A modern cosmetic formulation must meet both the high demands of consumers and the requirements for microbiological stability. Stability can be compromised by microbiological contamination, which can occur during the manufacture of the product, but above all by the consumer themselves, e.g. by dipping their fingers into creams. To prevent contamination and guarantee preservation, so-called challenge tests are mandatory for the approval of cosmetic products. Cosphatec offers the two most commonly used methods for challenge tests in Europe in cooperation with external microbiology laboratories.
The choice of test depends on individual factors. Whether a Challenge Tests.according to ISO 11930 or Ph. Eu. 5.1.3.- Cosphatec provides support here and offers direct commissioning of Challenge Tests.
