LIQUID CONCENTRATE FOR PRESERVING COSMETICS

1 . A liquid concentrate comprising:

a) one or more aromatic alcohols selected from aryloxyalkanols and arylalkanols,

wherein the total amount of component a) is at least 50% by weight, based on the weight of the liquid concentrate,

b) one or more acids selected from benzoic acid, propionic acid, salicylic acid, sorbic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, dehydracetic acid, formic acid, or 10-undecylenic acid, or one or more salts of these acids,

wherein the total amount of component b) is at least 8% by weight, stated as free acid or acids and based on the weight of the liquid concentrate, and

c) at least 0.03% by weight of octenidine dihydrochloride, based on the weight of the liquid concentrate.

2 . The liquid concentrate according to claim 1 , wherein the aryloxyalkanol is selected from phenoxyethanol or phenoxypropanol.

3 . The liquid concentrate according to claim 1 , wherein the arylalkanol is 3-phenypropanol-1, phenethyl alcohol, veratryl alcohol, benzyl alcohol, or 2-methyl-1-phenyl-2-propanol.

4 . The liquid concentrate according to claim 1 , wherein the total amount of component a) is 55% to 90% by weight, based on the weight of the liquid concentrate.

5 . The liquid concentrate according to claim 1 , wherein the acid is selected from benzoic acid, propionic acid, salicylic acid, sorbic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, and dehydracetic acid,

wherein component b) is selected from benzoic acid, dehydracetic acid, and mixtures thereof.

6 . The liquid concentrate according to claim 1 , wherein the total amount of component b) is 10% to 30% by weight, stated as free acid or acids and based on the weight of the liquid concentrate.

7 . The liquid concentrate according to claim 1 , wherein the amount of octenidine dihydrochloride is 0.04% to 0.2% by weight, based on the weight of the liquid concentrate.

8 . The liquid concentrate according to claim 1 , further comprising:

d) one or more 1- or 2-(C 3 to C 24 -alkyl) glycerol ethers.

9 . The liquid concentrate according to claim 8 , wherein the amount of component d) is 0.5% to 10% by weight, based on the weight of the liquid concentrate.

10 . The liquid concentrate according to claim 1 , further comprising:

d) one or more antioxidants.

11 . The liquid concentrate according to claim 10 , wherein the antioxidant is selected from 2,6-di-tert-butyl-p-cresol (BHT), 3-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole (BHA), and vitamin E and its derivatives, wherein component d) is vitamin E.

12 . The liquid concentrate according to claim 10 , wherein the amount of component d) is 1 to 1000 ppm, (weight/weight of the liquid concentrate).

13 . A method for preserving pharmaceutical or cosmetic products, comprising a step of applying an effective amount of the liquid concentrate of claim 1 .

14 . A product which comprises the liquid concentrate according to claim 1 .

15 . The product according to claim 14 , wherein the product is a pharmaceutical or cosmetic product.

16 . The liquid concentrate of claim 2 , wherein the aryloxyalkanol is phenoxyethanol.

17 . The liquid concentrate of claim 3 , wherein the arylalkanol is phenethyl alcohol or benzyl alcohol.

18 . The liquid concentrate of claim 4 , wherein the total amount of component a) is 60 to 85% by weight.

19 . The liquid concentrate of claim 4 , wherein the total amount of component a) is 65 to 80% by weight.

20 . The liquid concentrate of claim 4 , wherein the total amount of component a) is 70 to 77% by weight.

21 . The liquid concentrate according to claim 8 ,

wherein the total amount of component b) is 16% to 22% by weight, stated as free acid or acids and based on the weight of the liquid concentrate,

wherein the amount of octenidine dihydrochloride is 0.05% to 0.1% by weight based on the weight of the liquid concentrate, and

wherein the amount of component d) is 1.5% to 2.5% by weight based on the weight of the liquid concentrate.