What you need
None – See the Instructions.
Instructions
Anti microbial preservatives reduce the growth of bacteria and fungi in your recipes.
You can purchase preservatives that are used in commercial products from good soap supply stockists however we recommend trying something more natural such as grapfruit seed extract or vitamin E oil. When selling your products I always reccomend doing intense research on your ingredients and using a more commerical quality preservative.
Add 2 tsp of vitamin E oil to 5 tbs of base oil to act as a preservative for oil recipes.
Always use sterile bottles and utensils when making and storing your recipes.
Airtight containers should be used at all times and recipes should be in a stable environment.
Emulsion creams: Usually last up to 9 months especially when stored in the fridge.
Dry Scrubs: If kept dry will last 6 months in the fridge.
Alcohol recipes: Anything containing an alcohol will last up to 12 months.
Treatment oils: Will last up to 6 months when stored correctly.
Balms: Lips and skin balms will last up to 5 months in the fridge.
Herbal infusions: Will last around 7 days in the fridge if they do no contain any citrus seed extract, longer if they do.
Fresh masks: Masks using food products will last 1-2 days in the fridge.
Where would you store bath bombs and how long would they keep?
could you store lip balms ,lotions and the scrubs in a cool cabinet instead of the fridge?
I would not rely on Vitamin E for a preservative.
Actually for those who keep arguing about Vit E and Grapefruit seed extract… you have obviously NOT done your homework before posting on this thread, both do indeed inhibit bacterial growth. Aubrey organics and several other organic body product companies use Grapefruit seed extract as their preservative – it naturally keeps bacteria, yeast and fungi at bay.
Even using those two items, some items you will still want to keep refrigerated. Research thoroughly for yourself, don’t just read one forum, go to a few soap making forums they have a plethora of info available for making body care products. Great topic BTW, very important…
and Just FYI – when I make my products, even the ones that are only good for a day or two I still put a drop or two of the Grapefruit seed extract in it, it’s very beneficial for the skin especially if you suffer from acne : ))
Thanks for the information!How long will the peppermint bath candies keep?
Avoid using Tocopheral Acetate which is a synthetic, look for pure natural Alpha Tocopheral which is an incredible preservative although it is expensive.
Also, “…Add 2 tsp of vitamin E oil to 5 tbs of base oil to act as a preservative for oil recipes.” You should only really use at maximum, 1.5% of the base weight as any more than that, some people may find they have a sensitising problem – natural vitamin E is that powerful, you don’t use a lot of it.
Elizabeth
http://www.maryjean.co.uk
Iv been making my products for a few years and when i make my boddy lotions with out preservitives THEY DO IN FACT LAST UP TO SIX mon in the fridge. so heres your proof and nothing bad has happen to me. so dont be afraid to make to products.keep in fridge
The Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry August 13, 2008, 56 (15), 6364-6369 says that cinnamon is a natural perservative and mold inhibitor.
very good
It’s very usefull to know how often I have to remake stuff.
thanks a lot
vitamin E and Grapefruit seed extract are not proper preservatives for bacteria and fungus. They only help keep oils from going rancid. It is very dangerous to only use these. PLEASE purchase a proper preservative from a legit source.
GREAT info! Thanx!
Looks like if have hit the jackpot with this site
You will find if your read the article, it states that a commercial preservative should be used. It also states that vitamin E oil should be used in Oil mixes which as we know do not go rancid very easily unless contaminated. Hence the sterilization.
This is not correct. Vit E is not a preservative, and it will do nothing in water based emulsions. The fridge theory is also incorrect. I am concerned for the people making these products. All oil products do not need refrigeration, they are fine at RT
Vitamin E is not a preservative to keep the baddies away. You need an actual preservative. Vitamin E aids in oils going rancid. Do not rely on it for preservation and mold growth. Keep water out of products to reduce mold and bacteria.
TOTALLY AGREE ! Vitamin E and GSE are NOT preservatives. They are antioxidants
!
what preserving is good preserving creams
bath balms and salt scrubs i wana make them last longer and how many drops or tsp do u use and can u leave them out
OMG this is very important 🙂 Thanx for adding it, its very handy 🙂
Extremely important to know when making your own bath and beauty items!