Preservative in a salve

Bios

Can someone take a look at this list of ingredients and recommend an all natural preservative to use in the formula?  

shea butter

cocoa butter

beeswax

coconut oil

hemp oil

lemon EO

orange EO

lemongrass EO

lavender EO

vitamin E

arrowroot

hemp Isolate

Hemp Extract 10%

MarkBroussard

Glyceryl Caprylate (and) Glyceryl Undecylenate (Lexgard Natural - Inolex)

ngarayeva001

Do you have any water in your formula? If not will it be in any contact with water?

globalwidget

I make some similar products, and haven't been putting any preservatives in it, with no problems. Maybe that's wrong, but my products should not have any contact with water.

weikelahmeyer

can you make sure that the Hemp Extract is oil base not water base?

Bios

ngarayeva001 said:

Do you have any water in your formula? If not will it be in any contact with water?

No water in the formula or are we planning on adding water.

Bios

weikelahmeyer said:

can you make sure that the Hemp Extract is oil base not water base?

Yes.  The hemp extract is oil based.

Bios

I have read that the citrus essential oils would work as a preservative.  Is there any truth to this claim?  

Perry

@Bios - it wouldn't be effective for most formulations. Depending on the type there are also safety concerns when applied to skin.   

MarkBroussard

@Bios

Linatural CO-NLP-1

Certified organic orange / lemon grass / sunflower oils / natural alcohol

I've used this in conjunction with Lexgard Natural in a clay-based product and it passed PCT.

Since you have an anhydrous formula, you should not have any issues.

Agree with Perry ... an EO-based preservative would most likely not be effective in most formulas if used solo.

 

chemicalmatt

Mark, isn't d-Limonene the factor in that NLP-1 concoction? 

MarkBroussard

I suspect so ... that and the alcohol.  I've never looked at a compositional analysis of it, but you are probably correct.

Bios

Any opinions on Japanese Honeysuckle Extract as a possible preservative?  

MarkBroussard

I've use it with both success and failure ... so you will be best off coupling it with hurdle technology and possibly a complimentary preservative

Perry

@Bios - it works great when it is spiked with parabens and formaldehyde donors.  https://personalcaretruth.com/2010/07/honeysuckle-plant-extract/

MarkBroussard

The "active" in the Honeysuckle is actually a paraben precursor.  Though not technically a paraben, the molecular structure is very close to parabens.