Question about a GOOD full spectrum all around preservative

[earthsessencellc]

Okay, I have a huge soap agenda here the next few weeks, and I am going back to making some liquid soaps for the Holidays and because I am getting SO many requests for it. I make my liquid soaps from scratch, I create my own recipes and do it all myself, none of these base soaps...... Anyhow, starting to do this again, it brings me to the question of, which full spectrum preservative is best to use, I know we all have our own favorites, however I want something that doesn't really have an odor to it, that I can use in lotions, liquid soaps, and other B&B products..... Yeah I am looking for one that can handle it all, I have been wanting something a little more on the natural side, but unfortunately that just isn't gonna happen, I've used Rosemary extract stuff, and my stuff still grew mold..... I use T-50 also but I want a REAL preservative that I can feel very comfortable with, and one that won't alter the scent of the end product......

What do you recommend?

I've been looking poly sorbate, it looks like it could work, have any of you ever used it? if so how good is it? is there an odor to it?

Yeah, sorry about all the questions....................

Thanks,
Michele

 

[Tabitha]

I use poly sorbit 20, not as a preserve, but as a way to blend water & oil. It carries my fragrance oil through my water based body mist so it does not seperate. It does not have an odor.

I love phenonip & germaben II, neither one has an odor. Neither one leans twords natural though.

 

[Deda]

I like potassium sorbate for room spray, it has no odor in my formula. Which preservative you choose will depend on your recipe, the temperature of your product at the stage you add your preservative and your specific ingredients.

If you have a lab that you work with for challenge testing ask to speak with someone there about which preservatives will suit you best.

If you are going it 'alone' you will need to research your options based on your recipe.

Are you going with ewax as an emulsifier? Or will you use an HLB calculator?

I'm not trying to dissuade you at all. It's just a tedious process. I used to work for cosmetic company and did a whole lot of reformulations to change over the preservative systems we used. I'm happy to help you if I can.


Edited! I use Potassium Sorbate to preserve room spray, polysorbate 20 to emulsify....

 

[Tabitha]

"emulsify" That is the word I was looking for .

 

[earthsessencellc]

See, I was getting it all confused, i was on 'Snowdrift Farm' web site and their poly sorbit is listed as a preservative...... Had me all messed up there for a bit, LOL..... I was looking at the those two Tabitha, out of the two which would work best in temps of up too 180+ F deg? I will do some more research into this, however I am beginning to think that maybe adding the preservative might be best at the time after the entire batch is finished, but I am concerned with the preservative not being fully incorporated into the WHOLE batch, ya know?

 

[beachgurl]

I have to agree with Tabitha, I really like Phenonip. It's easy to use, doesn't smell, and works like a charm. Not to mention, a little goes a long way.