Ruina Posted May 17, 2007 Share Posted May 17, 2007 Hi all,I'm new at b&b and I now have Germall+ & LiquaPar Optima. But I'm wondering how long can I keep this stored & still be safe to use? I've search & couldn't find any references to the shelf life of these preservatives. Does anyone here know?R. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLSoaps Posted May 17, 2007 Share Posted May 17, 2007 I'd dig through ISP's website (www.ispcorp.com, I believe). They have downloadable PDFs on their preservatives with all the info you need on the individual preservatives. I believe they include shelf lives. If they don't, then you can always e-mail them. They're wonderful about answering all kinds of complex questions (such as paraben based preservatives should not be used in formulas with polysorbates). I know they DO have shelf lives. They don't necessarily NOT work after that time, but they can start breaking down, and not working fully, putting your formulas at risk of not being properly preserved. I always date my bottles when I get them. I luckily go through them insanely fast, but I'm sure I go through preservatives much faster than most people . But if I start pushing 18 months past my purchase date (haven't actually done this in ages), I'll often toss what's left. But dig around ISP. They've got tons and tons of information, and I'm one who's always believed that the preservative, while not the funnest part of a formula, is always the most crucial part. If used incorrectly, it makes your product very dangerous. Good luck on your new ventures! It's SOOO much fun and ridiculously addicting! :whoohoo: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruina Posted May 17, 2007 Author Share Posted May 17, 2007 Thanks Lindsay. Off I go to check.checking........checking........checking........update: skimmed through MSDS on both -- way too technical, like foreign language to me.Anyway, no mention of shelf life under "Storage." It did say "Biodegradability" is "not determined." Does that mean it doesn't break down? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firegirl Posted May 19, 2007 Share Posted May 19, 2007 I would love to know the answer to this as well.. Thankfully, I am going through mine pretty quickly as well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLSoaps Posted May 19, 2007 Share Posted May 19, 2007 I believe it was two years, but it may vary depending on the preservative. Since you don't know how long it was sitting on a shelf before it came to you, you'll probably want to add at least 6 months to whatever time you've had it as well.The shelf life doesn't mean that it WILL break down, just that it might. The best way to know for sure if yours has started to break down is to make something and send it off to be tested. It's really the only way you'll know.I highly recommending contacting ISP and asking them about this issue, since it's not listed in their online materials. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.