Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating Is formalin alone enough to preserve this conditioner formula?

  • Is formalin alone enough to preserve this conditioner formula?

    Posted by abdullah on April 16, 2022 at 7:08 am

    I am currently selling a rinse off conditioner with 
    0.9% stearamidopropyl dimethyl amine
    2% cetyl alcohol
    0.2% Amodimethicone active
    Lactic acid to pH 4.1
    0.01% fragrance
    0.05% Formalin+ 1 ppm CMI MI as preservative

    I want to make another conditioner with claims that you can rinse is after 1 minute or one hour or leave it there and don’t rinse.
    I cant use the current preservative system because of CMI MI for leave on.
     Phenoxyethanol will reduce the viscosity, make compilations, increase the cost and it targets bacteria like formalin. So not an option. 

    The best option will be to preserve it with formalin alone or combined with very small amount of CMI MI.

    My questions

    1. Is Formalin alone enough to preserve this conditioner at pH 4.1?

    if yes at what percentage?

    Packaging is in 400ml bottle with flip top cap.
    abdullah replied 1 year, 11 months ago 2 Members · 9 Replies
  • 9 Replies
  • PhilGeis

    Member
    April 16, 2022 at 10:28 am

    “Formalin” is sold at diff concentrations.  What is final est. formaldehyde concentration?
    Do you have challenge data?

  • abdullah

    Member
    April 16, 2022 at 11:21 am

    PhilGeis said:

    “Formalin” is sold at diff concentrations.  What is final est. formaldehyde concentration?
    Do you have challenge data?

    It is 37% formaldehyde.

    With 0.1% formalin it is 0.037% formaldehyde in final product.

    I dont have challenge test data as i currently don’t do it. 
    It is not available in our country or our neighbor countries or at least i am not aware that what type of company performs these tests.
    Sending it to EU or china + its shipping cost by air will be high for me and as i make a change in formula to improve it like every month or more, it will be too expensive to challenge test every month for several products. I have 14 products currently.

    For formalin+ CMI MI i got the idea from Lonzaserve® PC blend.

  • PhilGeis

    Member
    April 16, 2022 at 5:20 pm

    Eurofins has many global labs.  Maybe one somewhere near you might offer PET.  https://www.eurofins.com/contact-us/worldwide-interactive-map/

    That % might effective.   Question is its stability through consumer use,
    Historic - development of synthetic surfactant shampoo - classic parabens/benzoic were not effective and marketed products  used formaldehyde, then to formaldehyde releasers and in 80’s to isothiazo9linones..

  • abdullah

    Member
    April 17, 2022 at 1:03 am

    PhilGeis said:

    Eurofins has many global labs.  Maybe one somewhere near you might offer PET.  https://www.eurofins.com/contact-us/worldwide-interactive-map/

    That % might effective.   Question is its stability through consumer use,
    Historic - development of synthetic surfactant shampoo - classic parabens/benzoic were not effective and marketed products  used formaldehyde, then to formaldehyde releasers and in 80’s to isothiazo9linones..

    Yes it is available in Pakistan. I will contact them. 

    What would be the problem with it’s stability during consumer use? 

    It has flip top cap and cosumer will not touch inside the bottle. 
    Bottle is PET but is is not transparent and green color.

  • abdullah

    Member
    April 17, 2022 at 1:12 am

    @PhilGeis should i ask them for pet test or something more specific? 

  • PhilGeis

    Member
    April 17, 2022 at 11:24 am

    PET and an estimate for stability qualification.

    Conditioners are applied in and around showers and tubs - water gets in during use.  Tap water usually has pseudomonads - esp. aeruginosa.  
    https://journals.asm.org/doi/abs/10.1128/aem.56.5.1476-1479.1990

  • abdullah

    Member
    April 17, 2022 at 3:14 pm

    PhilGeis said:

    PET and an estimate for stability qualification.

    Conditioners are applied in and around showers and tubs - water gets in during use.  Tap water usually has pseudomonads - esp. aeruginosa.  
    https://journals.asm.org/doi/abs/10.1128/aem.56.5.1476-1479.1990

    Thanks 

    What does “estimate for stability qualification” show or is about?

  • PhilGeis

    Member
    April 18, 2022 at 1:00 pm

    https://cosmeticseurope.eu/files/5914/6407/8121/Guidelines_on_Stability_Testing_of_Cosmetics_CE-CTFA_-_2004.pdf

    In this case, to ensure the product has enough preservative capacity to protect during use.

  • abdullah

    Member
    April 19, 2022 at 3:03 am

    PhilGeis said:

    https://cosmeticseurope.eu/files/5914/6407/8121/Guidelines_on_Stability_Testing_of_Cosmetics_CE-CTFA_-_2004.pdf

    In this case, to ensure the product has enough preservative capacity to protect during use.

    Thanks

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