The present invention relates to a composition comprising or consisting of: (a) one, two or more compounds selected from the group consisting of benzyl alcohol derivatives of the formula (I) wherein each of the substituents R1, R2, and R3 has a position at the aromatic ring, and wherein the substituents R1, R2, and R3 independently of one another are selected from the group consisting of: H; OH; OCH3; COON; linear or branched, saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon radical having 1 to 8 carbon atoms; linear or branched, unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon radical having 2 to 8 carbon atoms; COOR4, wherein R4 is a linear or branched alkyl radical having 1 to 8 carbon atoms; wherein the total number of carbon atoms in substituents R1, R2 and R3 is 1 to 12, and (b) one, two or more compounds selected from the group consisting of: (i) branched or unbranched 1,2-alkanediols having 3 to 14 carbon atoms, (ii) benzoic acid (INCI: Benzoic Acid) and its esters and salts, (iii) 4-hydroxybenzoic acid and its esters (INCI: Parabens) and salts, (iv) 2,4-hexadienoic acid (INCI: Sorbic Acid) and its salts, (v) 2-phenoxyethanol (INCI: Phenoxyethanol) (vi) 3-iodo-2-propinyl-butylcarbamate (INCI: Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate), (vii) 3-(4-chlorphenoxy)-1,2-propane-1,2-diol (INCI: Chlorphenesin), (viii) urea (INCI: Urea) and derivatives thereof, in particular 1,1′-methylen-bis(3-(1-hydroxymethyl-2,4-dioximidazolidin-5-yl))urea (INCI: Imidazolidinyl urea), N-hydroxymethyl-N-(1,3-di(hydroxymethyl)-2,5-dioxoimidazolidin-4-yl)-N′-hydroxy-methylurea (INCI: Diazolidinyl Urea) and N-(4-chlorophenyl)-N′-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-urea (INCI: Triclocarban), (ix) 1,3-bis-(hydroxymethyl)-5,5-dimethyl-2,4-imidazolidindione (INCI: DMDM hydantoin), (x) 1,2-propanediol, 3-(2-ethylhexyloxy) (INCI: Octoxyglycerin), (xi) isothiazolinones and mixtures thereof (e.g. a mixture of 5-chloro-2-methyl-3(2H)-isothiazolinone and 2-methyl-3(2H)-isothiazolinone with magnesium chloride and magnesium nitrate; INCI: Methylchloroisothiazolinone and Methylisothiazolinone).