Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating General Is store-brand distilled water reliable?

  • Is store-brand distilled water reliable?

    Posted by DaveStone on October 7, 2021 at 8:08 am

    Could, for example, Shoprite’s distilled water gallon be nothing more than tap water?

    graillotion replied 2 years, 5 months ago 9 Members · 15 Replies
  • 15 Replies
  • abierose

    Member
    October 7, 2021 at 3:23 pm

    I have wondered this exact same thing. How reliable is the distilled water we buy at the grocery store and also how long is it good for, ie, shelf life..?

  • ariepfadli

    Member
    October 7, 2021 at 5:06 pm

    Try to measure its TDS and conductivity, you can see its distilled water, demin water or ordinary tap water

  • abierose

    Member
    October 7, 2021 at 10:34 pm

    Try to measure its TDS and conductivity, you can see its distilled water, demin water or ordinary tap water

    Could this be done with a ppm meter?

  • ariepfadli

    Member
    October 8, 2021 at 4:01 am

    Depend on your pH meter model, if it also have tds meter then you can use it.

  • pharma

    Member
    October 8, 2021 at 4:41 am

    Depend on your pH meter model, if it also have tds meter then you can use it.

    It’s a simple calculation from ppm to TDS: ppm = TDS ;) .
    Converting EC to TDS is nearly as easy or just use THIS.
    Good deionised water can have the same EC as distilled water… both are fine for cosmetics. Besides, distilled water is seldom distilled these days ;) .
  • mikethair

    Member
    October 9, 2021 at 1:59 am

    We buy branded Reverse Osmosis water in 18 L containers. Every batch goes through our on-site labs for testing, including TDS, pH and microbial testing. Every now and again our lab rejects a batch.

  • PhilGeis

    Member
    October 9, 2021 at 9:46 am

    Microbial content of water is dynamic.    Cepacia, ~ the most common cause of recall,  can grow to millions in a day in distilled water.  Water is the most problematic ingredients - you don’t know micro quality at formulation until days after the product is made and packaged.  

  • DaveStone

    Member
    October 9, 2021 at 11:50 am

    PhilGeis said:

    Microbial content of water is dynamic.    Cepacia, ~ the most common cause of recall,  can grow to millions in a day in distilled water.  Water is the most problematic ingredients - you don’t know micro quality at formulation until days after the product is made and packaged.  

    Where do you get your distilled water?
    Does it matter if it’s not totally pure if you have a good preservative system that actively combats these microbes?
  • PhilGeis

    Member
    October 9, 2021 at 12:47 pm

    Mine is industrial experience - recirculating water systems with ozone and heat.  Maybe contact the manufacturer - they might be ozonating.

    Preservatives are intended to protect consumers in use - not correct for poor GMP’s.  Even a “good” preservative system can be overwhelmed.    Our systems are weak - not accomplishing in a month what a disinfectant does in 10 minutes or less.  They have to be weak or they’d not be safe in use.

  • PhilGeis

    Member
    October 10, 2021 at 11:15 am

    Just use the paddle media every time you formulate.  These are very poor for products but not so poor with water.  
    Decide upfront what result will cause you to toss the product you made.

  • graillotion

    Member
    October 11, 2021 at 4:55 am

    I never read the label on my distilled water before tonight.  Is says:
    Processed by: Steam distillation, microfiltration, ozonation.

    So is that the trifecta….as good as I could hope for from a big box store purchase, @PhilGeis ?

  • Sincityfire

    Member
    October 11, 2021 at 6:16 am

    Also on the topic of distilled water, since it is not preserved, how long can you keep an opened container of distilled water?

  • PhilGeis

    Member
    October 11, 2021 at 10:20 am

    I never read the label on my distilled water before tonight.  Is says:
    Processed by: Steam distillation, microfiltration, ozonation.

    So is that the trifecta….as good as I could hope for from a big box store purchase, @PhilGeis ?

    Ozonation helps., it’s typically used for bottled water.   Go with the test 

  • suswang8

    Member
    October 13, 2021 at 1:12 am

    Thoughts on water that has been boiled and put through a Zero Water filter?

  • graillotion

    Member
    October 13, 2021 at 3:38 am

    suswang8 said:

    Thoughts on water that has been boiled and put through a Zero Water filter?

    One of the reason’s we don’t boil tap water….is it still carries the full mineral load….even after boiling. Why not this….if you’re gonna go to the lengths of boiling it…why not just finish the process….and distill it?

    If that was your only option…I would do it in the reverse order….as I am sure your filter is veritable petri dish of lovelies, negating the boiling.

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