Adding preservatives

[miko]

So far I've only been making soaps and I'm just thinking about making lotions and other body products. I really don't know much about it yet, but someone told me a have to add preservatives to my lotions. Can some one give me the basics on preservatives? Or point me in the direction of a good resource?

 

[skinflint]

I'm no expert, but you will need to do some research. Different preservatives are for different products. Some work better at low pH for lotions and creams and some at high pH, for shampoos and body washes.

I find that Phenoserve - it may be called Phenonip in the US, is a great all round preservative for all my lotions and creams. It's broad spectrum and is only used at about .75%.

It depends what you're putting in your products. If you're using lots of herbal or fruit extracts, you'll need to preserve the product carefully as these are prone to going moldy quickly.

Go to your fav supplier and search their website for the info you need.

 

[margi]

http://fromnaturewithlove.com/soap/Preservatives.asp

That link has some information that might help you