Why I Use Liquid Germall Plus in My Products

One of the questions I receive most often is:

"Why do you use Liquid Germall Plus?"

If you're someone who reads ingredient labels carefully, you may have noticed it listed in some of my products and wondered why I choose to use it.

The answer is simple:

Because safety matters.

First, Let's Talk About Water

Any cosmetic product that contains water, or ingredients that attract and hold water, can become a breeding ground for microbes if it is not properly preserved.

This includes products containing:

• Water

• Aloe vera

• Hydrosols

• Herbal teas and infusions

• Honey

• Glycerin

• Botanical extracts

• Sodium PCA

• Hyaluronic acid

• Many proteins, ferments, and humectants

Once water is introduced, bacteria, yeast, and mold have the potential to grow.

Many people assume that if a product looks, smells, and feels fine, it must be safe. Unfortunately, harmful microorganisms are often invisible to the naked eye.

A contaminated product may show no obvious signs of spoilage while still containing significant microbial growth.

"Natural" Doesn't Mean Self-Preserving

One of the biggest misconceptions in natural skincare is that certain ingredients act as preservatives when they do not.

For example, honey is often thought of as a preservative.

Honey is actually self-preserving.

That means microbes generally cannot grow inside pure honey because of its low water activity.

However, once honey is added to a water-based formulation, it no longer protects the entire product from contamination.

The same principle applies to many oils, butters, and botanical ingredients.

An ingredient being shelf stable by itself does not mean it preserves the finished product.

Oils and Water Don't Mix

Another common misconception is that adding an oil to a water-based product somehow protects it from microbial growth.

Oil and water naturally separate.

Even if a preservative is present in the water phase, adding ingredients without understanding how the system functions can create areas that are not adequately protected.

This is why formulators use ingredients such as:

• Emulsifiers

• Solubilizers

• Stabilizers

• Broad-spectrum preservatives

Each has a specific purpose.

An emulsifier helps combine oil and water.

A stabilizer helps keep the emulsion from separating.

A preservative helps prevent the growth of bacteria, yeast, and mold.

They are not interchangeable.

What Is Liquid Germall Plus?

Liquid Germall Plus is a broad-spectrum preservative used in personal care products.

Its job is to help protect products from contamination by:

• Bacteria

• Yeast

• Mold

It is effective at very low usage rates and works across a wide range of formulations.

For many small-batch formulators, it is considered one of the most reliable preservation systems available.

Let's Talk About Formaldehyde

This is usually where concerns arise.

Liquid Germall Plus contains diazolidinyl urea, which is classified as a formaldehyde-releasing preservative.

That sounds alarming at first glance, so it's important to understand what that actually means.

It does not mean formaldehyde is being poured into the product.

Instead, tiny amounts are released over time as part of the preservation mechanism.

The amount involved is extremely small and is regulated for cosmetic use.

This preservation system has been widely used in cosmetics for decades because of its effectiveness against microbial contamination.

Liquid Germall Plus is typically used at only 0.1–0.5% of a formulation. At a 0.5% use rate, diazolidinyl urea represents approximately 0.15% of the finished product. It functions by slowly releasing trace amounts of formaldehyde that are effective against microbial growth while remaining within cosmetic regulatory limits.

In fact, it's important to notw that formaldehyde is a naturally occurring chemical that exists both in the environment and within the human body.

Formaldehyde is produced during normal cellular metabolism and is rapidly broken down into formate and ultimately carbon dioxide and water. The body has enzymes specifically designed to process it.

That does not mean unlimited exposure is safe.

At sufficiently high levels, formaldehyde can:

• Irritate the eyes, nose, throat, and skin

• Trigger allergic contact dermatitis in sensitive individuals

• Cause respiratory irritation when inhaled

• Contribute to occupational health concerns with chronic, high-level exposure

The greatest concerns about formaldehyde come from airborne inhalation exposure, particularly in industrial settings where workers may be exposed to elevated concentrations over long periods.

Cosmetic preservatives such as diazolidinyl urea function differently. They release very small amounts of formaldehyde over time as part of their antimicrobial action. Regulatory agencies evaluate these use levels and permit them within established cosmetic concentration limits.

Some individuals may still choose to avoid formaldehyde-releasing preservatives, particularly if they have a known allergy or sensitivity. For those individuals, avoidance may be appropriate.

For most consumers, however, the discussion is not simply about whether a preservative releases formaldehyde. It is also important to consider the safety risks associated with inadequate preservation of water-containing products.

Putting Exposure Into Perspective

Toxicology is based on dose.

Many substances can be harmful at sufficiently high exposures, including water, oxygen, and sunlight. Risk depends on how much exposure occurs, how often it occurs, and how the body encounters it.

When evaluating cosmetic ingredients, it is important to consider not only the presence of an ingredient but also its concentration, intended use, and the safety data supporting that use.

Why I Still Choose to Use It

When formulating products, I evaluate both ingredient safety and product safety.

Those are not always the same thing.

A product made with only ingredients that sound "clean" can still become unsafe if it is not adequately preserved.

Microbial contamination can lead to:

• Product spoilage

• Skin irritation

• Eye irritation

• Infection risk

In my view, an appropriately preserved product is often the safer choice than a poorly preserved product made with more familiar-sounding ingredients.

My Approach

I strive to formulate products that are:

• Effective

• Thoughtfully sourced

• Transparent

• Properly preserved

Whenever a product contains water or water-attracting ingredients, preservation with a broad spectrum preservative is not optional, it is part of responsible cosmetic formulation.

I understand that not everyone will be comfortable with every ingredient choice, and I respect that.

I don't use Liquid Germall Plus because it's perfect. I use it because, after reviewing the available options, I believe proper preservation is an important part of responsible formulation. Every preservative system has advantages and disadvantages. My goal is to choose ingredients that help keep products both effective and microbiologically safe throughout their intended shelf life.

My commitment is to be transparent about what I use, why I use it, and how those decisions support both product quality and consumer safety.

Because at the end of the day, safety isn't just about what's in a product.

It's also about what we prevent from growing in it.

Here's the link to my TikTok playlist where I go over a lot of this info: https://www.tiktok.com/@andreaturner_ihp/playlist/Preservation%20in%20Products-7649127592582204173?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc