Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating Liquid Germall Plus & Optiphen Plus

  • Liquid Germall Plus & Optiphen Plus

    Posted by heathergrace on June 9, 2017 at 5:33 pm

    Hello All, 
    I am new here and nice to meet you all! What are your thoughts on Liquid Germall Plus and/or Optiphen Plus as preservatives. Can they be used alone or do they need to be used along with another preservative? I have found that Optiphen Plus is not suitable for lotions. 

    Thanks for your thoughts!
    Heather

    david replied 6 years, 9 months ago 5 Members · 10 Replies
  • 10 Replies
  • microformulation

    Member
    June 9, 2017 at 8:59 pm

    I think you are simplifying a topic that is much more complicated than you believe.

    • Each Formula must be looked at as a whole before selecting the proper preservative. There is not just one preservative that you will buy and use solely for the rest of your formulations.
    • Preservation has other aspects. Ready about the Hurdle Technique (to broad for this post). There are many aspects that you need to consider.
    • A preservative must also take into account Marketing benchmarks to a certain extent.

    This is a topic that Formulators learn about and continue to learn about daily. There is no simple answer.

  • heathergrace

    Member
    June 10, 2017 at 1:21 am

    Hello Microformulation,

    Thank you for your comment!! I completely understand the complexity of the topic, it’s a constant learning process. I suppose the purpose of my post is to see what others think about those two preservatives in particular.  I am interested in learning more about the Hurdle Process and will do so. I’d like to contact your company to learn more about your services. Is there anyone in particular I should contact? Cheers, Heather

  • microformulation

    Member
    June 10, 2017 at 2:54 am

    You can send an email to sales@microformulation.com. They can send you a quick FAQ which discusses fees, has links to account paperwork and Product Devlopment forms, as well as a projected R&D timeline.

    This will sound like a poor statement from a Business point of view, but it is best to do a “Market Analysis” before contacting a Chemist to provide the Formulation. You will want to look at competetors to your product, rough price points, their Marketing “story” as well as the demand for “natural” in the market sector you are positioning yourself in. If you feel that “natural” is a requirement, learn more about what this implies. There is no real legal definition for “natural”, however there IS danger of liability for claiming “natural” without a strong standard. Perry did a great webinar several weeks ago that will really acquaint you with the current landscape of this term. Leaving it undefined greatly complicates the R&D process.

    https://chemistscorner.com/cosmetic-chemists-guide-to-natural-and-organic-cosmetic-standards/

    David Steinberg also did a great Powerpoint presentation on preservation at the Midwest SCC which you can find in this google search; https://www.google.com/search?num=100&q=david+steinberg+preservation+scc&oq=david+st&gs_l=serp.1.0.35i39k1j0l3j0i131k1j0l5.4493.8091.0.10432.8.8.0.0.0.0.323.1121.0j3j1j1.5.0….0…1.1.64.serp..3.5.1118…0i67k1j0i20k1j0i131i67k1.uI94FqjTJms

    Do you preperation! This is key. Be well funded. The costs across the board are pretty fixed. Also, look at your strengths, honestly. Are you a Salesperson (Business oriented) who needs a Chemist or a Chemist who needs a Salesperson? You can’t do both.

     

    Cosmetic Chemists Guide to Natural and Organic Cosmetic Standards

  • NoHypeCosmetics

    Member
    June 10, 2017 at 3:14 am

    Optiphen is geared toward oil bases where germal is geared toward anhydrous or water based. But seriously the instructions are on the product. But you need to be educated, maybe start at etsy. You need to know percents of usage and for instance vitamin e is Not a preservative there are pedlers of product that dont know the diffetence between oxidative properties and broad spectrum bacterial properties. Study sweetheart.
    Cheers nohypecosmetics.com And sorry I dont formulate for other brands. I am strict on ingredient uses. I customize to individuals, likefinding Bob a personality. Lol!

  • heathergrace

    Member
    June 10, 2017 at 3:26 am

    Thank you, as I mentioned in a previous comment, I really am just curious as to what others think about the two preservatives. I have done a lot of studying, and have developed a whole line of face and body products, and my company is doing well :-) I know about percentages, and the fact that Vitamin E is not a preservative. Again, just curious as to what others think about those two in particular. 

  • microformulation

    Member
    June 10, 2017 at 12:00 pm

    From a Marketing standpoint, you may get more resistance to the Germall Plus (Propylene Glycol, Diazolidinyl Urea, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate). This is a “Formaldehyde Donor” type product. This is a bit of a misnomer, however the Market bias is there. It can be used in a high water containing formula as well as surfactant systems.

    Optiphen Plus is another preservative for WATER based products as well. (INCI:Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbic Acid). It is best used at a pH of 6 or below. Phenoxyethanol as a whole is better received, however you may get some resistance still from the Market.

     

     

  • microformulation

    Member
    June 10, 2017 at 12:37 pm

    Lastly, if I were looking to get a bonafide education in Cosmetic Science, i would most definitely avoid Etsy and look at credible resources.

  • belassi

    Member
    June 10, 2017 at 4:31 pm

    Frankly, anything on Etsy I regard as automatically being garbage.

  • heathergrace

    Member
    June 10, 2017 at 11:07 pm

    I’m not on Etsy, I started an LLC and have a set of tried and true products. I am currently educating myself further and am working towards developing a few more products to add to my line :-)

  • david

    Member
    June 14, 2017 at 4:54 pm

    Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate is banned as a preservative in body lotion and body cream in EU

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