Facial Moisturizer Preservative
I realized after I posted my final facial moisturizer ingredients list that I forgot to list the preservative! I have edited the post and added it, but I wanted to comment about what it is and what I like about it.
The preservative I chose is citric acid (and) silver citrate, which is an all-natural product. When considering the types of preservatives available, this one has caught my attention, not only because it is natural, but also because it requires so little (0.1%) to be effective. I will have the final formula challenge tested in a lab to be sure that my formula is safe and bacteria-free before selling it.
When considering the types of preservatives available, parabens have become controversial because of a supposed link to cancer. This link has never been verified, but most people would rather err on the side of caution.
Other preservatives are what is known as formaldehyde donors. That is, as they interact with the product they are supposed to preserve, they can produce small amounts of formaldehyde. Also undesirable.
I experimented with a product called Geogard Ultra, INCI name: Gluconolactone (and) Sodium Benzoate which sounds more natural than some others, but isn’t really natural. It’s not a formaldehyde donor, so it has that going for it. However, it is a white powder which must be dissolved in water before use (it really didn’t want to dissolve), it requires a large percentage to be effective – especially when you consider that powders weigh much less than liquids, and it seemed to leave tiny air bubbles in my formulas. Bottom line: I didn’t like it!
If you would like to check the preservatives that are in your cosmetics, go to the Skin Deep database.
Page with Comments
Comments are closed.
Amy, I’m so excited that you found a formula that works for you! I can’t wait to hear what your testers think of it!
Helene’s last blog post..Things that made me smile this week….
Wow, you must be really good at chemistry to make all these creations! 🙂 What a neat, unique blog! Thanks for the comments on my blog, too, and for signing the Conscience Clause petition!!! 🙂
Carrie’s last blog post..Parenting FAIL #327
I really enjoy your articles as I am a beginning soap and lotion maker myself. My big question right now is about preservatives so this is a timely article for me.
Question: where do you get the citric acid? Is silver nitrate a different preservative or is it citric acid under another name? And where can I find these items?
TY
Thanks for your question, Marcia! The preservative is called Tinosan. It is made up of citric acid (and) silver nitrate. You can find it from several suppliers including Texas Natural Supply, The Herbarie, and Lotioncrafter. There may be others… So far it is working out very well for my formulas, and I love that it is all natural!
I was wondering what kind of shelf life you have found you can get out of the tinosan. Can I ask how you have handled this issue? I mean, I’ve wondered if as I grow if I shouldn’t put an expiration date on the creams. I’ve had some tests done but have to wait to see what my future results will be. I just get nervous about this issue and would like to not have to make it completely fresh for every order. Any suggestions or feedback?
@Danielle – I’ve had my regular Jojoba-Shea lotion formula tested by Sagescript Institute as well as the Skin Glow Facial Moisturizer. Based on the results, Dr. Cindy Jones recommended about a one year shelf life for the Jojoba-Shea lotion, and a six-month shelf life for the Skin Glow. I put a “made fresh” date on all of the Jojoba-Shea lotions, and an actual expiration date on the Skin Glow. The Skin Glow does seem to get an “off” odor after about six months, but I haven’t noticed any adverse effects on the Jojoba-Shea lotion.