Cosmetic products must be adequately preserved against microbiological contamination, not only to maintain product integrity, but to protect the consumer’s health. Phenoxyethanol is the most frequently used preservative for this purpose and its popularity is growing. At its maximum allowed dosage of 1%, phenoxyethanol alone often is not sufficient to microbiologically stabilize cosmetic applications. Therefore, phenoxyethanol is frequently offered as a blend with other preservatives or promoters of antimicrobial efficacy. The new OCX – Efficacy Enhancing System by schülke allows phenoxyethanol to improve its broad-spectrum efficacy, especially against fungi.