Most of our products are formulated with aqueous compounds (aloe vera gel, hydrolats...) or contain water (in our creams, lotions, gels...). However the presence of water leads to the development of bacteria, yeast, fungi, molds... Thus, these products represent a real culture medium which must then be preserved from microbiological growth. Indeed, a care product cannot protect itself from ageing and deteriorates naturally: the smell can "turn", the texture and colour can change... This deterioration of the product can even be dangerous in some cases.

It is therefore essential to add preservatives in order to protect the formula from external microbiological contamination, and to extend the life of the product. Shelf life can be up to 2-3 years for unopened product, and 6 months to 1 year once opened.

Moreover, even in certified organic cosmetics or care products, a minimal quantity of ingredients of synthetic origin is allowed: these are most often curators and pH adjusters. Indeed, the law requires that any cosmetic placed on the market must be able to protect itself from external microbial contamination. The preservatives authorised in organic cosmetics are limited and must meet 2 requirements: they must be effective and very gentle in order to respect the balance of the bacterial flora naturally present on our skin and that of animals as much as possible.

Which preservatives do we use and why? 

At ESC Laboratoire, we have chosen to use in combination two compounds: the sodium benzoate and the potassium sorbate.

It is their acidic forms (benzoic acid and sorbic acid) that act as preservatives. We therefore ensure that the pH of the preparation is acidic (below 6) so that the compounds are mostly in their effective acid form. Furthermore, as the average pH of the horse's skin is 5, these preservatives are perfectly adapted to the formulation of our products, gentle and respectful of the horse's skin and its natural acidity.

These compounds are derivatives of organic acids existing in their natural state, hence their name. nature-like but they are very poorly bio-available, so they have to be synthesized in the laboratory. They are allowed in organic cosmetics.

• The potassium sorbate is a preservative naturally present in many plants, especially cranberry. It is very effective at low doses, which represents the advantage of using little of it.
• The sodium benzoate is a derivative of benzoic acid that is naturally found in Benzoin resin.

The Sodium Benzoate and Potassium Sorbate Complex is a synergistic blend with anti-microbial activity to effectively fight bacteria, yeasts, fungi and moulds. 

These compounds are found in many human cosmetics, animal care products and food products. 

There are also 100% natural preservatives such asgrapefruit seed extract, the leucidal (from the fermentation of radishes), the naticide... But they have the disadvantage of only offering a very limited shelf life (about 1 month) and not being effective against bacteria, yeasts and moulds at the same time, so they are not used alone by manufacturers. For a good effectiveness it would be necessary to combine these 100% natural preservatives with synthetic preservatives.

Conclusion 

Now you know why we use preservatives in our external care products and where they come from. The addition of these preservatives in low doses protects our products from any contamination from the external environment so that they remain stable over time and retain their maximum effectiveness in caring for your horses without being dangerous.