Why do you use sodium benzoate?

Though we always aim for 100% natural when formulating a product, sometimes a compromise must be struck between a product’s naturalness and its safety. If in doubt, we err on the side of safety at the expense of being 100% natural.

Face and body care products, particularly those which are exposed to water in the shower or at the sink, have a high risk of contamination due to bacteria, yeast and mold spores. In light of this, we have chosen to use sodium benzoate in our Fantastic Face Wash (at less than 1% concentration) as part of our preservative system to ensure the wash remains clean and safe to use, even with repetitive exposure to moisture. Sodium benzoate can also be found in our Force Field Daily Defense Lotion.  

Sodium benzoate is naturally found in many fruits, and we use a synthetic, nature-identical version of it which is globally accepted as a safe preservative for skin and body care products by Ecocert, NSF, Natrue and BDIH.

Only in extreme heat and light conditions (not in the shower) have there been potential concerns with benzoic acid mixed with ascorbic acid or citric acid forming benzene. Our formulators believe it is the best and safest option for preserving this product. Hope this helps!