Let's Talk Product Details: Preservatives, Storage Tips & Use-By Dates

Hey, SBA Fam!

So glad to chat with you on the blog. We're going to be addressing some important questions that we get asked frequently around here.

1. Do you use preservatives in your products?
2. How should you store your products to make them last as long as possible?
3. Can you use SBA products past the suggested use-by date?

Today, I want to answer each of these to help you better understand our products and feel confident in the natural skincare you use every day!

If you’ve ever taken a thorough look at our product ingredient list, you may have noticed these ingredients: Rosemary Seed Extract, Citric Acid, Rosemary Antioxidant CO2, and our proprietary blend of naturally derived preservatives.

Before diving into what these natural preservatives are and how they work, I want to first explain why we use them in the first place.

To start, our Nourish Conditioner, Repair Cream, and Blue Tansy HA Moisturizer all contain water content because moisturizers include emollients like aloe (which contains water). Water creates a prime environment for microbial growth, including bacteria, mold, and yeast. Without preservatives, your favorite moisturizer or conditioner could spoil very quickly, perhaps even in a matter of days, if not for some form of a gentle, natural and preservative.

Now, what about our occlusive products like the Sweet Dreams Glow Balm and Daydream Mineral SPF that contain natural preservatives? While they don’t have added water content, they still contain natural oils and other ingredients that can oxidize or go rancid over time. That’s where our natural preservatives come in, to keep these products fresh and extend ingredient longevity. 

I know when you hear "preservative," it may bring to mind something artificial, as most preservatives in skincare (and food) are synthetic and often not safe. However, that’s not the case with the natural preservatives SBA carefully selects. At SBA, we are committed to using safe, natural preservatives that maintain the freshness and integrity of our products without compromising quality or safety.

Let’s Break Down the 100% Natural Preservatives In SBA Products

-Rosemary Antioxidant CO2: An ultra-concentrated, oil-soluble extract derived from rosemary leaves. It is very rich in antioxidants, which help protect oils and fats in skincare formulations from oxidation, preventing spoilage and extending shelf life. Unlike synthetic preservatives, it is non-toxic and gentle, making it a popular choice for 100% clean and natural skincare products.

-Citric Acid: You may recognize this name from certain food and skincare items! It's a naturally occurring compound derived from citrus fruits. It’s commonly used in natural skincare to adjust pH levels and enhance the effectiveness of other preservatives. By helping products maintain a stable pH, citric acid helps prevent microbial growth, making it a gentle and effective addition to our formulations.

-Rosemary Seed Extract: Rosemary seed extract is a natural antioxidant derived from rosemary plants. It helps protect oils in skincare products from oxidizing and going rancid, helping ingredients stay fresh longer. This gentle ingredient is safe for all skin types and provides an extra layer of protection without any harmful synthetic additives.

-Proprietary Blend of Naturally Derived Preservatives: Our proprietary blend is a carefully crafted combination of plant-based, naturally derived compounds designed to prevent microbial growth in our Nourish Conditioner. These natural compounds are intentionally chosen for their ability to protect against bacteria, mold, and yeast while remaining gentle on the skin, hair, and body, while being completely non-toxic.

These ingredients are derived from plants and other natural sources, making them both biodegradable and non-toxic. They work in harmony with your skin and body, unlike the harsh, unnaturally derived preservatives such as synthetic preservatives such as parabens or formaldehyde-releasing agents, commonly found in many (if not most) conventional skincare products, and even some "natural" ones. 

 

Our Safe Choice

Every water-based product requires a preservative system to help protect against bacteria, mold, and yeast. We use PE 9010, a paraben-free and formaldehyde-free preservative system trusted in sensitive personal care products worldwide only and specifically in our Herbal Lash Serum. This preservative helps protect the Herbal Lash Serum from bacteria, mold, and yeast while maintaining the integrity and freshness of the formula. It is effective at very low usage levels, well tolerated by most skin types, and widely recognized for its excellent safety profile in leave-on products.

Why did we choose PE 9010 specifically for our Herbal Lash Serum? Because the eye area requires extra consideration. This preservative provides broad-spectrum protection without the harshness associated with many conventional systems, making it a reliable choice for a product used so close to the eyes. While we use other non-toxic preservatives throughout our product line, they are not always the best fit for every formulation. The Herbal Lash Serum contains delicate botanicals, peptides, and water-based ingredients that require a preservative system capable of providing strong protection while remaining gentle enough for daily use around the eye area. PE 9010 allows us to achieve both.

Best Use Practices & No More Use By Dates

Use By Sticker Updates

You may have noticed we are no longer adding “use by” stickers to our products. Let us explain!

Instead of relying on best by stickers, we now guide use through general timelines and education (like this email and blog posts!) so you can know what to look for in terms of product freshness and potency. Natural skincare performs best within about one year of opening, sometimes sooner depending on storage and usage habits. This also aligns with industry standards for preservative light formulations where you will often see a similar 9 to 12 month window across clean/organic beauty brands that also use natural/non-toxic preservation ingredients.

This is because natural ingredients gradually begin to change and oxidize after months of exposure to air, light, and daily use. Oils oxidize, compounds lose potency, and the overall stability of the formula can change in texture, scent, and potency... Meaning it begins to not provide the same skin benefits after a certain amount of time.

We stopped using best by stickers because they can unintentionally imply that a product is perfectly fine right up until a specific date and then all of a sudden not good to use anymore. In reality, freshness is a more gradual shift. The more important thing to do is to treat one year after opening as the practical end of peak freshness and performance for most natural skincare.

Daydream Mineral SPF and Sweet Dreams Glow Balm were the only products that previously carried best by stickers due to their structure but with these new formulation updates the products now fit with the same general one year freshness concept. Now, this leads to our next point...

 

Product Storage and Usage Guide

If you want your natural skincare products to be potent and deliver the most nutrients to the skin as long as possible, remember: proper storage is everything. It is the foundation of product performance once you receive your product. The better they are stored, the longer they stay fresh and effective!

-Usage: Keep your products away from direct light, avoid exposing them to heat, limit air exposure, and ALWAYS use clean hands or tools when dipping in. Exposing your products to heat, light, air, or contaminants speeds up oxidation and ingredient breakdown... This means your products lose potency and freshness much faster than they would otherwise. Especially for products like the Blue Tansy Moisturizer that contain delicate botanicals that are very sensitive to external factors.

-Storage: How you store your products plays a major role in how long they stay fresh and effective. Store in a cool, dry place. Heat and humidity accelerate oxidation in oils. Products like Sweet Dreams Glow Balm and The Eye Balm™ stay more stable in consistent cool conditions.

-Contamination: I'm going to repeat this one because it's that important. Always use clean, DRY hands or a clean, dry tool when applying balms and creams. Introducing water or bacteria can exponentially shorten product life and cause bacteria to grow in your product. Even freshly washed hands that are not fully dry can introduce moisture that can alter stability. As for serums try to avoid direct contact between dropper and skin.

 

How To Tell If A Product Has Changed

Your senses are your best guide for this one!

-Smell: If your product begins to smell sour, rancid, or sharp, this can be a signal that oxidation has occurred and your product may be past its prime.

-Color: changes such as darkening or unusual color may also signal oxidation or contamination. Visible growth or spots mean the product should be discarded immediately!

-Texture: Keep in mind that natural products do shift with the seasons and temperature, so a balm that feels firmer in the winter or softer in the summer is totally normal! What to watch for is more persistent changes like separation, graininess, or unusual thickness that sticks around regardless of temperature. That can be a sign of product instability.

-Performance: if you notice your product(s) aren't performing the same as they used to, like giving your skin less hydration, this can also indicate it is time for a replacement.

 

Bacteria, fungus, yeast growth! Ew! While this all can sound scary, you really have nothing to fear when you take a couple of easy precautions to wash your hands before using your products and store them properly.

I want to highlight that at our SBA packaging and formulation facility, we take meticulous care to ensure our products are made with the highest standards of sanitation, so they are delivered to you completely free of any contaminants. For a closer look at our process, check out our behind-the-scenes video here and here! In the rare occasion they arrive to you with any issues, we are so happy to help with that. 

 

Okay, we know all of this may sound detailed but it really is simple: Clean hands, proper storage, and awareness of scent and texture go a long way when it comes to your products. Every SBA product is made in a very carefully controlled environment so it arrives to you clean, stable, and ready to use for max potency.

 

Chelsea H. 

CEO, Founder & Formulator

Skin Balm Apothecary