preservative
Hydroxyacetophenone
An increasingly adopted multifunctional preservative booster with additional antioxidant activity. Used in clean-positioned foundations and eye creams as a paraben-alternative co-preservative.
Benefits
- Preservative booster — antimicrobial synergy
- Antioxidant activity in formulation
- Reduces required concentrations of co-preservatives
- Low sensitisation potential
- Good stability in water-based and emulsion systems
Example uses
- Foundations
- Eye creams
- Tinted moisturisers
- Serums
- Lightweight skincare emulsions
Mechanism of action
Functions as preservative booster via phenolic antimicrobial activity — the hydroxyphenyl group inhibits microbial enzyme function and disrupts cell membrane integrity at sub-MIC concentrations. Antioxidant function via phenolic hydrogen donation to free radical chain reactions, interrupting lipid peroxidation in the formulation.
Clinical evidence · Emerging
SCCS safety opinion confirmed safety. Preservative synergy data published. Full long-term sensitisation profiling still being accumulated.
Effective concentration range
0.1–0.5%
Formulation notes
Water-soluble; stable pH 3–8. Effective preservation booster in combination with phenoxyethanol or ethylhexylglycerin. Antioxidant function via phenolic ring electron donation.
Watchouts
Limited long-term use data compared to established preservatives. Novel enough that the full dermal sensitisation profile is not as extensively characterised as older preservative systems.
Stacks with
Controversies & overclaims
Newer preservative with less long-term use history than established alternatives. Being adopted before a full independent safety characterisation is complete — the risk is low but the caution is appropriate.
Market positioning
Marketed as gentle multifunctional preservative booster. Accurate functional description; the novelty of the compound relative to older preservatives should be acknowledged.
Comedogenicity
0 / 5
Sensitisation risk
Low
INCI & aliases
Hydroxyacetophenone
4-hydroxyacetophenone · p-hydroxyacetophenone · 4-acetylphenol
Clean beauty perception
Generally accepted in clean beauty as a newer paraben-alternative preservation option. Phenolic origin aligns with natural framing though it is synthetically produced.
More preservative
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