This Hydrolite 5 Green by Symrise AG, is a sustainable (derived from sugar cane) version of the original Pentylene Glycol. This is a multifunctional ingredient that can be used in a diverse range of cosmetics for a range of applications. These include improving active efficacy, skin hydration, improves stability/solubility of ingredients and improving the efficacy of preservatives. This make Hydrolite 5 Green an important Preservative-free preservation strategy option for your cosmetic products.
Microbes need water to be available to them so that they can thrive. Humectants such as Hydrolite 5 capture and lock-up a formulations free water thus rendering the formulation environment stressful for microbes. In some cases such as simple creams, spritzers and cleansers this can be used as the sole preservative if added at 4%~5%. In more challenging formulations such as those with lots of herbal extracts, clays or colours, the water-binding strategy may be too slow to knock-down the initial micro load and so may not be suitable.
As a humectancy approach to product preservation, where free water is bound up is one of the healthiest strategies for the microbiome as it has no negative effect on the skins natural flora. However, it is worth noting that the only way of assuring your product is protected is by investing in micro testing (Preservative Efficacy or Micro Count over varying time points).