Provided herein is a cost-effective and potent preservative system for a composition comprising a salicylate salt and a benzoate salt in an amount of from 0.2 weight % to 0.5 weight % by total weight of the composition and in a molar ratio of salicylate to benzoate of 1:6 to 1:1.2, wherein the composition has a pH of 5 or less. Further provided herein is a method of using a combination of a salicylate salt and a benzoate salt in a preservative system in a composition, and a method of preserving a composition.