THE WHAT? The value of preservatives could be more widely understood after a Reddit post went viral on TikTok, according to a report published by NBC News.

THE DETAILS The post in question claims that the poster’s Kosas-branded concealer developed mold, leading to several copycat posts on TikTok charging clean beauty products with ‘smelling rancid’ and causing skin irritation. Kosas has responded to the furore on the social media platform.

THE WHY? The clean beauty movement has villainized a number of ‘chemicals’ that it deems ‘toxic’ – – parabens, phthalates and sulfates to name but a few – leading to widespread misunderstanding about the role of certain ingredients, including preservatives, in beauty formulation. However, in this instance, it is likely that the issue has developed after the products POA date.