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Preservative Info!


Bunny

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Ok ya'll.. I re-did the preservative information and hopefully made it much easier to read! Here's the scoop:

I'll leave this link up for a few days, and then you can go the soap and B&B FAQ near the top of the main page on the boards to find it!

http://www.candletech.com/forums/showthread.php?p=199218#post199218

Please note, a few of the numbers that were in the last sheet are incorrect. I complied the first sheet from various suppliers, instead of going direct to the source. It'll never happen again!

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  • 11 months later...

Hi Bunny,

I'm new at making this stuff and am trying to figure out about preservatives. From reading your post, I gathered that I can use Liquapar Optima for both oil-based products (scrubs, butters) as well as water-based products (lotions, creams). The description saids:

In aqueous systems, a co-solvent or surfactant may be needed to help solubilize the preservative.

what does the following mean?

Would truly appreciate any help.

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  • 4 years later...
  • 3 months later...

The European Community is at the moment reaching some decisions on the permitted levels of preservatives.

Probably the most stable and useful preservative that has been used by the industry is parabens. There has been some negative marketing against it, but parabens is recognised at the moment officially as safe when used at no more than the limit (which is 0.4%, by the way). I have found that 0.3% parabens gave a shelf life of 10 months so far for the first creams I formulated.

So called 'natural' preservatives can in fact be unsafe. For instance, sodium benzoate has been implicated as a producer of benzene, a carcinogen, in soft drinks. Creams that contain ascorbic acid (vitamin C) could have the same problem. My own take on the problem is to look for a more modern preservative system, which I may have found, price permitting.

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Hi Bunny,

I'm new at making this stuff and am trying to figure out about preservatives. From reading your post, I gathered that I can use Liquapar Optima for both oil-based products (scrubs, butters) as well as water-based products (lotions, creams). The description saids:

In aqueous systems, a co-solvent or surfactant may be needed to help solubilize the preservative.

what does the following mean?

Would truly appreciate any help.

It means the preservative is not soluble in water and cannot be used in a water based product unless emulsified. It might be possible to use Tween-20 for example as a co-solvent.

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  • 1 year later...
I have read many recipes and noticed that most do not use preservatives. Does anyone know the specific rules on when to use them? I have read that you only need to use preservatives if your recipe contains water.

That's what they say or unless it could come in contact with water. I don't sell my products but do use a preservative in all scrubs, lotions, whips, etc., just to be on the safe side.

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  • 5 months later...

I teach how to make skin and hair care products and am doing a diploma in cosmetic science in the UK. I have recently been interviewed by the saponifier magazine for an article which on the HLB system and preservatives and have copied and pasted some of the info below.

If your product contains water or will come into contact with water (eg a scrub used with wet fingers) a preservative is essential to help prevent microbes (bacteria, mold, and yeast) growing. Preservatives stop growth by killing cells and spores (usually by disrupting cell membranes) or by making the product hostile to growth. It’s a common myth that anti-oxidants like vitamin E, Grapefruit Seed Extract and rosemary extract are preservatives but they are not. Oxidation of oils and butters leads to rancidity and anti-oxidants slow down this process. These anti-oxidants do not prevent bacteria, yeast, or mold from entering your product.

There are many different types of preservatives – you will need one which is broad spectrum – stops (a) gram positive and gram negative bacteria, (B) mold; and © yeast growing - http://swiftcraftymonkey.blogspot.ca/2010/10/preservatives-what-can-get-into-our.html

Preservatives – these 3 below are very effective, reliable and easy to use.

- Liquid germall plus – this very effective and easy to use preservative is a favourite amongst DIYers including swiftcraftymonkey - INCI: Propylene Glycol (and) Diazolidinyl Urea (and) Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate. use 0.5% cool down phase – good for emulsions eg lotions but can’t be used in all oil creations.

- Phenonip – another very effective preservative. Use Phenonip in the heated phase of our creations as it dissolves around 60˚C to 70˚C. If you are making a lotion, it's suggested to divide the product up between the water and oil phases – 0.5% each phase. If you want to use it in a cold product, heat up some propylene glycol or glycerin and add the Phenonip to that before adding it to your product. If you want to use it in a surfactant mix - say, a shampoo bar or body wash - then add it to the heated surfactant phase. INCI: Phenoxyethanol (and) Methylparaben (and) Ethylparaben (and) Butylparaben (and) Propylparaben (and) Isobutylparaben. Usage: In the heated phase of your product. Divide into the oil and water phases in lotions. Suitable for all products, including anhydrous products. NOTE: Phenonip is inactivated by some non-ionic ingredients, such as polysorbate 80 (at 5%, Phenonip is completely inactivated by polysorbate 80), and slightly by polysorbate 20 and 80 at 2.5%. It doesn't do well with ceteareth-20 - it's inactivated by 5% - but it is not affected by cetearyl alcohol.

- Germaben II – Another very effective preservative – very good for hard to preserve products eg those with lots of extracts. The INCI is Propylene Glycol (56%),Diazolidinyl Urea (30%), Methylparaben (11%), and Propylparaben (3%), 0.5% to 1% in the cool down phase. Water soluble, so it's not suitable for anhydrous creations. It is ready-to-use in emulsions with an oil phase of about 25% or less and water soluble formulations.

Edited by itunu
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If your product contains water or will come into contact with water (eg a scrub used with wet fingers) a preservative is essential to help prevent microbes (bacteria, mold, and yeast) growing.

This is incorrect information. A preservative in a sugar scrub will not be effective b/c you have no idea how much water is going to be introduced to that scrub therefore you have no idea what percentage of preservative to add to it. If you preserve it and state that on the label then you are setting yourself up for a lawsuit if there is ever mold or bacteria that grows and the customer sues. It's best to not add preservative and direct customers to not take the jar in the shower but rather to use a dry instrument to remove product and take in the shower to use.

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