Shelf Life - hopefully explained better

[scrubzz]

Asking this again for this category - What is the shelf life of the B&B products you make when they are stored properly on average? I know everything is full of variables and different ingredients can completely change things - but just what do you expect from your tried and true recipe so one knows if they are in the ballpark or else knows that maybe they should relook at what they are doing - for instance - I made a lot of lip balm and never sold any but gifted a lot to my co-workers at Christmas every year at various nursing homes where I worked through the years - I would also just make batches here and there and give them out to everyone as my way of saying thanks for the hard work they do - Most places I worked had over 100 employees and everyone got some so I made enough to get to know my recipe - I found that the flavor lasted well over a year before it began to fade and even after fading the balm was still the best I or anyone else around here had ever used - Of course I would never sell or even gift it once the flavor began to fade - on the other hand, every attempt I ever made with shea in it began to get "gritty" before the flavor faded and after several attempts I gave up on shea - So what about your creations?

[TallTayl]

Your max shelf life is as long as the shortest ingredient in the mix. Some oils, like hemp or grape seed, are only about 6 months from when the original container is opened. Any unrefined butter or oil is shorter than the fully refined versions (like raw coconut oil versus refined). Hydrogenated oils last longer still (like palm in crisco- when it goes off it is pretty stinky) 

 

Shea, mango, cocoa butter, and similar will develop grains over time unless managed with something like cera Bellina. Butter-ez was the bomdiggety but is no longer being produced. 

 

Thorough testing in heat, freeze thaw, etc will give a decent indication of life expectancy. 

 

All That said, I have lip balms tucked away “for science” that are several years old and still feel and smell freshly made. 

[NaughtyNancy]

7 hours ago, TallTayl said:

Shea, mango, cocoa butter, and similar will develop grains over time unless managed with something like cera Bellina

 

Cera bellina has been a little miracle worker so far for pretty much all of the types of balms and bars I make (lotion, perfume, body butters, etc) ever since you recommended it to me (when I was getting the creepy texture patterns on the solid perfumes lol). I add a small % of it to basically everything now. Keeps everything pretty smooth and with a nice seal of sorts prior to use.

[TallTayl]

3 hours ago, NaughtyNancy said:

 

Cera bellina has been a little miracle worker so far for pretty much all of the types of balms and bars I make (lotion, perfume, body butters, etc) ever since you recommended it to me (when I was getting the creepy texture patterns on the solid perfumes lol). I add a small % of it to basically everything now. Keeps everything pretty smooth and with a nice seal of sorts prior to use.

You would have LOVED butterez. That had a lower usage rate, and super nice glide. Maybe if we wish hard enough they will bring it back.