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Natural but still effective preservative
Hello friends. I’m searching for effective preservative, that will be safe to use in organic formulations. Better if it is Cosmos/Ecocert approved.
I use Geogard ETC now, but I’m struggling with chemical smell of the finished product. Even when I use 1% of Geogard in emulsion and add FO or EO I can smell that unpleasant scent
P.S. Both US and British suppliers will be ok.
Somebody recommend me to use Geogard Ultra, will it be effective in emulsions and when should I incorporate the powder to my formula?Thank you!
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12 Replies
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I like sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate (around 0.4% and 0.2% respectively) - downside is you have to ensure a low pH (4.5-5)
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LincsChemist said:I like sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate (around 0.4% and 0.2% respectively) - downside is you have to ensure a low pH (4.5-5)
Thank you! Do you use Euxyl® K 712? Or do you mix them by yourself?
Does it has any scent?
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While sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate are certified by Ecocert/Cosmos, they are not actually natural. Supplies of those ingredients are synthetically produced. There are no truly natural preservatives. The other downside is that these ingredients will also destabilize emulsions.
The preservative you choose will depend on the type of formula you are making. What are you trying to make? Emulsions? Solutions? Gels?
But as far as Cosmos certified…these are your options:
Benzoic acid and its salts
Benzyl alcoholSalicylic acid and its salts
Sorbic acid/potassium sorbate
Sodium benzoate
Potassium sorbate
Phenethyl alcohol
Sodium levulinate
Benzoic acid
Ethyl lactate
Whether they are effective or not…well you’ll have to try it and find out. These things are not as reliable as standard, time tested, effective preservatives.
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Perry said:…
But as far as Cosmos certified…these are your options:
…What’s with anisic acid/sodium anisate? Wasn’t hat Cosmos approved?
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Yes, anisic acid is approved too. Sorry, the list I posted may not have all the most recent updates.
Here’s a more complete update list.
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Thanks for sharing. That list is short ;( but still a nice inspiration.
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Perry said:While sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate are certified by Ecocert/Cosmos, they are not actually natural. Supplies of those ingredients are synthetically produced. There are no truly natural preservatives. The other downside is that these ingredients will also destabilize emulsions.
The preservative you choose will depend on the type of formula you are making. What are you trying to make? Emulsions? Solutions? Gels?
But as far as Cosmos certified…these are your options:
Benzoic acid and its salts
Benzyl alcoholSalicylic acid and its salts
Sorbic acid/potassium sorbate
Sodium benzoate
Potassium sorbate
Phenethyl alcohol
Sodium levulinate
Benzoic acid
Ethyl lactate
Whether they are effective or not…well you’ll have to try it and find out. These things are not as reliable as standard, time tested, effective preservatives.
Thank you very much. I’m making emulsions and water based serum.
It is a very long list but which you can recommend? Will it be effective to use only one of them or should I use the combination?P.S. Weleda and some of other organic companies use alcohol(raw grain) as a preservative. I tried to find any formula to see proportions but there is no information on websites…
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I recommend you use parabens and formaldehyde donors.
I recommend formulators use preservatives that have a long history of safe and effective use (like parabens & formaldehyde donors).
I recommend formulators not use unproven, natural preservatives that likely make products less safe. (like many of the ones approved by Ecocert)
I recommend that formulators do not compromise on product safety and succumb to marketing whims & misinformed consumer desires.
I recommend you do not follow the formulating strategies of organic companies who produce products that are less safe for consumers.
I’m a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to product safety. I don’t think it should every be compromised in an effort to support a marketing position. There are other formulators on this forum who have a different philosophy and may provide you with more helpful advice when it comes to the area of natural product preservation.
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Weleda does strict tests and I’d say consumers are safe when using their products but honestly, these feel greasy or otherwise unpleasant more often than not. Can’t have it all…BTW they also use (though not everywhere) glycerol, low pH (citric or lactic acid), w/o emulsions, and in newer concepts also glyceryl caprylate as preservative strategies.Use the search function, we’ve covered % of alcohol and glycerol on several occasions.
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Perry said:I recommend you use parabens and formaldehyde donors.
I recommend formulators use preservatives that have a long history of safe and effective use (like parabens & formaldehyde donors).
I recommend formulators not use unproven, natural preservatives that likely make products less safe. (like many of the ones approved by Ecocert)
I recommend that formulators do not compromise on product safety and succumb to marketing whims & misinformed consumer desires.
I recommend you do not follow the formulating strategies of organic companies who produce products that are less safe for consumers.
I’m a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to product safety. I don’t think it should every be compromised in an effort to support a marketing position. There are other formulators on this forum who have a different philosophy and may provide you with more helpful advice when it comes to the area of natural product preservation.
I understand you… But it is so hard for a new formulator to choose between safe and safe…When I listen to chemists I get one info, the other side I read scientists works about parabens and formaldehydes that affect hormones and got confused.
How do they approve those Ecocert/Cosmos preservatives without good testing?Pharma said:Weleda does strict tests and I’d say consumers are safe when using their products but honestly, these feel greasy or otherwise unpleasant more often than not. Can’t have it all…BTW they also use (though not everywhere) glycerol, low pH (citric or lactic acid), w/o emulsions, and in newer concepts also glyceryl caprylate as preservative strategies.Use the search function, we’ve covered % of alcohol and glycerol on several occasions.I thought that glyceryl caprylate was only co-emulsifier… Anyway all this components sound like all natural…So they do not break the philosophy of nature formulation.
Thank you! I will search for other posts on alcohol. -
@Eugene - the only group of scientists you should listen to when it comes to chemical safety is Toxicologists. Not chemists, not biologists, not formulators, but Toxicologists. You can find the consensus of their opinion about ingredients at https://cir-safety.org
Ecocert / Cosmos is not a scientific organization. They are a moneymaking operation that relies on fees from companies who want to get certified using their seal. Their standards are mostly arbitrary and not based on science.
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Perry said:@Eugene - the only group of scientists you should listen to when it comes to chemical safety is Toxicologists. Not chemists, not biologists, not formulators, but Toxicologists. You can find the consensus of their opinion about ingredients at https://cir-safety.org
Ecocert / Cosmos is not a scientific organization. They are a moneymaking operation that relies on fees from companies who want to get certified using their seal. Their standards are mostly arbitrary and not based on science.
Thank you for the link! Just hope that they also are not moneymakers :#
Very dissapointed with Ecocert and Cosmos…P.S. Sorry for late answer
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