Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating Preservation with high alcohol content

  • Preservation with high alcohol content

    Posted by Lifter09 on April 15, 2024 at 6:07 pm

    Hi! An obvious question, but why doesn’t something with high alcohol content need a preservation agent? Here’s an example formula:

    Sepimax Zen (0.8%)

    Glycerin (4%)

    70% ethanol (95.2%)

    fareloz replied 7 months ago 3 Members · 2 Replies
  • 2 Replies
  • Perry44

    Administrator
    April 15, 2024 at 6:13 pm

    Because bacteria and most other microbes can not grow in an alcohol solution greater than about 20%.

  • fareloz

    Member
    April 16, 2024 at 4:50 am

    This is almost a typical formula of a hand sanitizer (although most companies use carbomer as it is cheaper than Sepimax Zen). And sanitizers kill bacteria, right? So why do you need preservative for something that kills bacteria itself?

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