Parabens are synthetic preservatives that prevent bacterial growth in water-based cosmetics. Water-free products like body bars don't need preservatives, and therefore no parabens either.
What are parabens?
Parabens are synthetic preservatives used to prevent bacterial and fungal growth in cosmetics. They have been a standard ingredient in the cosmetics industry for decades.
The most common parabens in cosmetics are:
- —Methylparaben
- —Ethylparaben
- —Propylparaben
- —Butylparaben
- —Isobutylparaben
On INCI lists, you recognise them by the "-paraben" ending.
Why are parabens used?
Parabens are popular in the cosmetics industry because they:
- —Are highly effective against a broad spectrum of bacteria and fungi
- —Are inexpensive to produce
- —Remain stable over long periods
- —Work at low concentrations
Every product containing water, and that includes most creams, lotions and gels, needs preservation to prevent spoilage. Without preservation, these products would become unusable within days.
Water-free = no preservation needed
The simplest way to avoid parabens is to choose water-free products. Bacteria and fungi need water to grow. No water means no microbial growth, and therefore no preservatives needed.
Body bars are naturally water-free. They consist of saponified plant oils and butters, without added water in the end product. Therefore they don't need preservatives.
Alternatives to parabens
For products that do contain water (such as body wash or lotion) there are alternatives:
- —Benzyl Alcohol (plant-derived) in combination with Dehydroacetic Acid
- —Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate · a natural fermentation product
- —Sorbic Acid / Potassium Sorbate · effective in acidic formulations
These alternatives each have their own pros and cons in terms of effectiveness, stability and application.
Other preservatives on our NO-list
Besides parabens, other synthetic preservatives are also on our NO-list:
- —Phenoxyethanol · widely used alternative to parabens
- —Formaldehyde donors · DMDM Hydantoin, Diazolidinyl Urea, Imidazolidinyl Urea
- —Isothiazolinones · Methylisothiazolinone (MIT), Methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCIT)
- —Triclosan · antibacterial agent
Our choice
Our body bars contain no preservatives because they are water-free. For future liquid products (body wash, lotion) we will exclusively use plant-based preservation systems, never parabens, phenoxyethanol or formaldehyde donors.
View the full NO-list and ingredients.
Last updated: 2026-02-03