The ingredient narratives reshaping clean beauty.
Hydroxyacetophenone
aka 4-hydroxyacetophenone · p-hydroxyacetophenone · 4-acetylphenol
An increasingly adopted multifunctional preservative booster with additional antioxidant activity. Used in clean-positioned foundations and eye creams as a paraben-alternative co-preservative.
- 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
- Foundations
- Eye creams
- Tinted moisturisers
- Serums
- Lightweight skincare emulsions
Water-soluble; stable pH 3–8. Effective preservation booster in combination with phenoxyethanol or ethylhexylglycerin. Antioxidant function via phenolic ring electron donation.
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.
Generally accepted in clean beauty as a newer paraben-alternative preservation option. Phenolic origin aligns with natural framing though it is synthetically produced.
The ingredient narratives reshaping clean beauty.
Hydroxyacetophenone
aka 4-hydroxyacetophenone · p-hydroxyacetophenone · 4-acetylphenol
An increasingly adopted multifunctional preservative booster with additional antioxidant activity. Used in clean-positioned foundations and eye creams as a paraben-alternative co-preservative.
- 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
- Foundations
- Eye creams
- Tinted moisturisers
- Serums
- Lightweight skincare emulsions
Water-soluble; stable pH 3–8. Effective preservation booster in combination with phenoxyethanol or ethylhexylglycerin. Antioxidant function via phenolic ring electron donation.
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.
Generally accepted in clean beauty as a newer paraben-alternative preservation option. Phenolic origin aligns with natural framing though it is synthetically produced.