I read that Vitamin E, Grapefruit Seed Extract and Rosemary Oleander Extract are good natural preservatives. Is this correct?
No. These are antioxidants. Antioxidants slow down the growth of free radicals in oils, which make them turn rancid. They don’t provide any protection against the growth of mold, fungi or bacteria. Grapefruit Seed Extract (GSE) once had the reputation of acting as a preservative. In researching this issue we found that there was a company selling GSE with an added undisclosed preservative. When people saw that their lotions were passing lab challenge tests with the GSE they assumed GSE was a preservative. Since then, the company has removed the preservative and to our knowledge the products do not pass lab challenge tests.
