Optiphen and EWax

[Megan]

So finally when I think I've got something down...it occurs to me that I'm probably doing it wrong.

So, Optiphen is inactivated by polysorbates and EWax is cetearyl alcohol and polysorbate 60. I could have sworn I keep seeing people using optiphen in their products containing ewax though. So what gives!? Will this combination eventually fail?

I have some emulsified sugar scrubs right now that seem to be doing pretty good despite this combination... but maybe there are wee beasties that I can't see yet.

Would subbing BTMS for EWax be a better choice in a formula containing Optiphen?

 

[lsg]

You can change to BTMS or use Phenonip as a preservative.

 

[Megan]

Thank you, I actually love the skin feel and substantivity of BTMS so I might try this first.

For the ones I have made, I'm going to preportion the amount I need before using so as not to contaminate my base...but man that was a bummer realization!

 

[Arimara]

Are you using Optiphen or Optiphen Plus? I'm curious.

 

[Megan]

Are you using Optiphen or Optiphen Plus? I'm curious.

Regular Optiphen. I know it's not broad spectrum, but the high sugar content should help preserve as well. I may just buy some sorbic acid to add, but when I started all I knew was Optiphen was recommended to me, so it's what I bought.

 

[Arimara]

Ok. I've used the latter before and prefer it on account of smell. I have phenonip I may have to discard.

 

[cmzaha]

Where did you read this about Optiphen? Phenonip can be inactivated by non-ionic preservatives such as polysorbates but I have never read anything but this pertaining to the Optiphens.

For my emulsified sugar scrubs I used a polysorbate free emulsifying wax and Phenonip.

 

[Megan]

Where did you read this about Optiphen? Phenonip can be inactivated by non-ionic preservatives such as polysorbates but I have never read anything but this pertaining to the Optiphens.

For my emulsified sugar scrubs I used a polysorbate free emulsifying wax and Phenonip.

At this point I'm not even sure....I know I've read it several places before...but maybe it's not true? I know lotioncrafter mentions it's inactivated (on the phenoxyethanol, not the optiphen page) by highly ethoxylated compounds... Thank you for the link on the other post. Hopefully that can help me with all this preservative stuff...my head is spinning!