Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating Lip safe preservative

  • Lip safe preservative

    Posted by bella82 on August 23, 2019 at 10:46 pm

    Please, can someone recommend a lip safe preservative for lip balm. Initially I was only using Vit E ( which isn’t really a preservative) but having recently learnt about contamination even in an anhydrous formulations, I would like to make sure the product is safe. 
    Recommendations will be highly appreciated 

    doreen replied 4 years, 7 months ago 4 Members · 3 Replies
  • 3 Replies
  • Sibech

    Member
    August 23, 2019 at 11:01 pm

    Contamination in an anhydrous formula is unlikely, bacteria and mold won’t grow without water. 

    Phenoxyethanol could be used if you want a suggestion anyway.

  • marytsiang

    Member
    August 28, 2019 at 12:31 pm

    Ι think that you can contaminate your  lipbalm by your saliva,so your product would be safer if you use a preservative system.
    You can use propylparaben or a blend of 9:1 phenoxyethanol/ethylhexylglycerin

  • doreen

    Member
    August 28, 2019 at 4:48 pm

    @Sibech
    Microbial growth on the surface isn’t uncommon, same for other anhydrous products that come in contact with water. Better be safe than sorry. I agree with @marytsiang .
    I myself use 0.1% propyl paraben in lipbalms. And lipsticks, but I hardly make those.

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