Which preservative?

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aab1

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If I want to preserve water and essential oil that are in the same container but not mixed (the eo floating on the water) what's the best and ideally most natural and least toxic preservative to use? Do I need anything more than preservative to prevent algae growth or would some preservatives perform both functions?

Thanks
 
It will all depend on what that eo and water are to become. Are they to be sprayed? Are they being added to lotion ( although I wouldn't recommend adding extra water at the end).

Why are you mixing eo with water? Fabric spray?

The preservative I use most is liquid germall plus but I wouldn't add it in a spray. Its a bit of personal decision since liquid germall plus should not be inhaled. Some think its okay in a spray just not an aerosol, and some avoid putting it in the air altogether.
 
They remain as separate water and eo in the package until used (I don't use an emulsifier), when used they are mixed in a large amount of 70% isopropyl alcohol. I just want to be sure the product remains stable in the package until the user opens it and mixes it in alcohol. I want to ensure a multi-year shelf life.

Thank you
 
Well then if it is intended as a spray, I'm assuming seeing as it will be mixed with alcohol, I wouldn't use the germall. However if it will be mixed with alcohol at over 70 percent it will not need a preservative as the alcohol will preserve it (that is when it is mixed). Is there a reason you don't just mix it up fully? You won't get more natural than the alcohol itself. I would check here for a comparison chart of preservatives to decide which you want to use:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/1020026/preservativechart.pdf
 
This is nor for a spray, it's to refill Braun self cleaning shaver cartridges.

I need a preservative for the time until it's mixed with alcohol, which would be over a year. I don't pre-mix the alcohol in my product as it then becomes a hazmat/dangerous good and becomes virtually impossible to ship.

I'll look at the chart but do you have any preservative recommendations for my water/eo packages and do I need anything additional to prevent algae growth?

Thanks
 
If it is not being sprayed then I would use liquid germall plus. It is hard to give recommendations because many preservatives are only good between certain ph's. I have no way of knowing the ph of your liquid although I would guess it would be between 7-8, as most water is in that range. If you know for certain the ph you may be able to find something you like better.
 
I'm leaning towards GeoGard ultra as it seems to be the least toxic. would it be good for what I described?

Thank you
 
I actually ended up getting Optiphen Plus since it seemed the most natural or least toxic and the place I order from didn't have GeoGuard Ultra. Should Optiphen Plus work well for my intended use?

Thanks
 
I got the Optiphen Plus today but when mixed in my water based mix it just stays as a separate layer like water and oil despite vigorous mixing. It seems like it's only for emulsifications of water and oil because it won't stay mixed in just water.

Just in case this makes a difference, I tested it as a 50/50 mix of 2ml Optiphen to 2 ml water to make the result clear, but I don't see why it would behave differently at the recommended 1% unless it can saturate the water.

Does anyone know for sure if Optiphen plus can be used in a water based mixture that contains no oil (remember the essential oil is not emulsified in my mix and intentionally just floats on top of the water)? If not what are my most natural options? Do I even need a preservative if the oil and water are not emulsified?

Thanks
 
That page doesn't answer my question about whether Optiphen Plus can be used in a water only solution that isn't emulsified with oil. Does anyone know this?

Thank you
 
If you look on the right hand side there are links for preservative info. The info is there. I gave you the link if you can't try to find the info I can't help you anymore. Sorry good luck.
 
If you look on the right hand side there are links for preservative info. The info is there. I gave you the link if you can't try to find the info I can't help you anymore. Sorry good luck.

That page is mostly about a cucumber toner recipe, if there is a page specific to preservatives why not link to that page instead of to an unrelated page?

I did notice lower some links about preservatives but none mention if they can be used to preserve only water with no oils emulsified in it.

Can someone please let me know if Optiphen Plus can be used to preserve plain water which is a highly unusual use?
 
Lotioncrafter.com has nice selection of preservatives with good descriptions for each. It may be a good start for your ongoing research.
 
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