Our products are as natural as possible, while still giving you the protection of a preservative system. All products containing water require a preservative to prevent the growth of bacteria, yeast, fungi, and molds. There are natural preservatives such as tea tree oil and vitamin E that control certain strains of bacteria under ideal conditions. Not the type of conditions most cosmetic products face, like light, heat, steam, and contamination. Some natural preservatives have to be used in such high concentration they cause skin irritations or allergic reactions. We use a very small amount of broad spectrum preservative (less than 1%) along with a combination of natural preservatives to protect our products containing water and ultimately your precious bumblinas. If an all natural preservative becomes available that meets our strict safety standards we will use it in our formulations.