Common Name(s): Potassium propionate,potassium propionate,antimicrobial preservative preservative,antimicrobial preservation active
CAS Number: N/a
DESCRIPTION
What It Does: Protects cosmetic formulations from bacterial, fungal, and yeast contamination through antimicrobial preservative mechanism โ maintaining product safety and shelf life throughout the product's use period.
Why It's Used: Preservation is a non-negotiable safety requirement for water-containing cosmetics โ microbial contamination causes product degradation, active decomposition, and risk of pathogenic growth that could cause skin infection in users.
How It Works: The specific antimicrobial mechanism depends on the chemical class โ cationic quaternary ammonium, acid/organic acid, or oxidant-type preservatives each provide microbial cell membrane disruption, enzyme inhibition, or oxidative protein damage through their respective functional group chemistry.
Typically Found In: Preserved cosmetics
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Primary Category: Active ingredient โ cosmetic active
Secondary Functions: Skin conditioning
Application Areas:
Facial Skincare
Body Care
Hair Care
Beard Care
Color Cosmetics (Makeup)
Dietary/Oral Supplements
Typical Concentration Range: Per eu annex v limits
SOURCING & ETHICS
Vegan Status: Yes
Halal Status: Yes
Source Notes: Commercially produced for cosmetic use. verify vegan/halal status with supplier.
SKIN COMPATIBILITY
Irritancy Rating: 1/5 โ very low
Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 โ non-comedogenic
Sensitivity Concerns: Well-tolerated by most skin types.
Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes
SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY
Safety Profile: Good safety profile at recommended concentrations. ewg score: 1โ2.
Works Well With: Standard skincare actives
Avoid Combining With: No known significant incompatibilities
SCIENTIFIC NOTE
Eu annex v concentration limits and use restrictions apply. formulators must verify the permitted concentration, product type restrictions, and labelling requirements for each specific preservative in target markets.
Last Verified: Eu regulation 1223/2009 annex v,potassium propionate preservative regulatory review
Primary Sources: 2026-03-22