Seeking help in choosing natural preservative for glass jar face cream

LouiseB

Hello,

I’m working on preserving a skincare cream with naturally derived preservatives and was wondering if anyone can offer some advice on promising combinations for a face cream in a glass jar (open container…yikes!) I've been reading a lot of threads on this website, which have been a huge help, particularly for highlighting how tricky it is to preserve a product with Ecocert/naturally derived preservatives.

I have a couple of questions for the formula below. I tried Leucidal Liquid at 4% with potassium sorbate at 0.5%, but the cream started to smell bad after two months. I’d like for it to last about a year. 

Some questions...

- What is the likelihood Natapres (Glycerin, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Populus Tremuloides Bark Extract, Gluconolactone) at 2.5% plus potassium sorbate at 0.5% will preserve this cream in an open container for about a year?

- Is it worth combining Natapres with other preservation products such as sodium benzoate or glyceryl caprylate for extra preserving power?

- Faced with choosing between Natapres+sodium benzoate, Benzyl alcohol+DHA, gluconolactone+sodium benzoate, which is likely to work best for a glass jarred product? Any other suggestions?

Thank you for any advice!

Here is the face cream formula - 

Formula (ingredient followed by percentage):

OILS (24.5%)
Shea 9
Cocoa Butter 1.5
Grapeseed oil 5
Rosehip Seed Oil 3
Jojoba Oil 5
Borage Oil 1

WAXES & EMULSIFIERS 
Milliard ewax 5.5
Beeswax 0.5

WATER 
Aloe vera gel 15
Water  46
Vegetable glycerin 2

BOTANICAL EXTRACTS
Alcohol tincture 3

ANTIOXIDANTS 
Vit E 0.1
Rosemary oleoresin extract 0.05

PRESERVATIVES ???

Belassi

- What is the likelihood Natapres (Glycerin, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Populus Tremuloides Bark Extract, Gluconolactone) at 2.5% plus potassium sorbate at 0.5% will preserve this cream in an open container for about a year?
I'd say, no likelihood at all. If you want to do this you will have to use a hurdle system and a preservative such as KEM NAT.

Microformulation

An open glass jar pretty much compromises her attempt at a hurdle strategy to a large extent. I would consider more secure packaging.

Bobzchemist

Is this a continually open container? If so, you will most likely not be able to preserve it naturally, unless you can really minimize the amount of water you need to use.

You might want to look into Laurest 1220

DRBOB@VERDIENT.BIZ

Why open all the time? Too much bio-demand from airborne micro-organisms and hand/finger dispensing?I don't know of any preservative which would work.

Belassi

Sure. It would have to be an airless container.

LouiseB

Oh dear, sorry, I meant a glass jar that is opened each day for use! not continually open. I'd like to try this in a jar as opposed to a pump bottle to start with. Thanks for the feedback, and thanks @Belassi @Bobzchemist ;I'll check out KEM NAT and Laurest 1220. I see Benzyl Alcohol and DHA used often in store-sold face creams like this - https://www.trilogyproducts.com/us/ultra-hydrating-face-cream
But I've tried it in the past and couldn't mask the scent of the Benzyl alcohol so am looking into alternatives...

BobzchemistMicroformulationDRBOB@VERDIENT.BIZ 

Belassi

I see a big problem. The alcohol content. I'm sorry but that can only work in an airless system. In a jar, the alcohol evaporates out over the course of days or at the most, weeks and the whole rheology changes - usually for the worse.

MarkBroussard

@LouiseB

Of the options you have listed, you might try:

(1)  Chealating Agent 0.2% (Dissolvine GL47 or perhaps Sodium Phytate)
(2)  1,3-Propanediol 6%
(3)  Gluconodeltalactone + Sodium Benzoate 1.5%
(4)  Glyceryl Caprylate 1.0%

Make sure your final product pH is <5.5

DRBOB@VERDIENT.BIZ

Yes best bet is use Geoguard Ultra Gluconolactone and BA which at 1.5 percent will bring ph to 5.let it equilibrate overnight before taking final Ph as it will drop.

LouiseB

Super, I've ordered Gluconodeltalactone + Sodium Benzoate (Geogard Ultra) and will let you know how it goes, thanks so much @MarkBroussard  and @DRBOB@VERDIENT.BIZ

and @Belassi I'll see how the alcohol tincture content affects my product - so far I've included 3% with pretty stable results over time.