Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating Preservative for hairgel

  • Preservative for hairgel

    Posted by David on January 7, 2015 at 8:51 am

    Most secure preservative system for Carbopol/PVP gels? No isothiazolinones. Can’t afford too many challenge tests..

    TheWiz replied 7 years, 3 months ago 12 Members · 20 Replies
  • 20 Replies
  • vitalys

    Member
    January 7, 2015 at 9:06 am

    Possibly DMDM Hydantoin…

  • Chemist77

    Member
    January 7, 2015 at 9:29 am
  • David

    Member
    January 7, 2015 at 12:22 pm

    Thanks, will DMDM Hydantoin work alone? 

  • vitalys

    Member
    January 7, 2015 at 4:34 pm

    Yes, it would work alone.

  • OldPerry

    Member
    January 7, 2015 at 5:04 pm

    Yep.  That’s all we had in our Tresemme and VO5 styling gels.

  • braveheart

    Member
    January 8, 2015 at 8:34 pm

    There must/should be an alternative to DMDM Hydantoin. See:

  • OldPerry

    Member
    January 9, 2015 at 9:19 am

    The EWG is not a reliable source for information and their ratings are not science based.  There is not a single toxicologist who works with/for the EWG.

    A better source is work done by actual scientists evaluating the safety of ingredients.  See this complete report on the safety assessment of DMDM Hydantoin.
    Of special note…”Based on the available data included in this report, it is concluded that DMDM Hydantoin is safe as a cosmetic ingredient in the present practices of use.”
  • chemicalmatt

    Member
    January 9, 2015 at 11:26 am

    I just spent over an hour on the EWG site looking up “rated” ingredients to satisfy a client’s requirements.  Now I want to puke. I mean it, I really want to hurl chunks after reading all the crap that organization is serving up.

  • belassi

    Member
    January 9, 2015 at 11:44 am

    Absolutely. It is just a tank of bilge. Perhaps we (here) should get together and start a new site to compete with it, one that gives proper information.

  • chemicalmatt

    Member
    January 9, 2015 at 3:54 pm

    Great idea, Belassi!

  • Bill_Toge

    Member
    January 9, 2015 at 4:31 pm

    if you want thorough, scientific and commercially/politically impartial reviews of contentious ingredients free of charge, the European SCCS (Scientific Committee for Consumer Safety) is a good source:

    http://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/consumer_safety/opinions/index_en.htm

  • Microformulation

    Member
    January 9, 2015 at 6:09 pm
  • David

    Member
    January 10, 2015 at 6:50 am

    @braveheart yes, no reason to use anything else if it is safe and works.

  • braveheart

    Member
    January 10, 2015 at 7:35 am
    “There is not a single toxicologist who works with/for the EWG.”
    Says it all.
    I used to spend my time at EWG as the chemical bible reference to check list of ingredients before I try them when I was looking for solution to my eczema/dry skin challenges. Now, I know better. But that is still what the vast majority of the public still have.
    @Belassi, that will be truly a great idea!!

    Now, that I am working to take my ideas into the market place, there should be a better place of reference for the average public to check what is safe and what is not based on genuine information. It’s unfortunate that most of the information are incorrect.

  • David

    Member
    February 13, 2015 at 12:36 pm

    I keep on hearing  that DMDM alone is not so effective for yeasts and molds and that there are better alternatives. Usually I get something like Euxyl PE9010 recommended. But is this really as effective as a formaldehyde releaser? Of course I know micro-organisms are unpredictable sometimes but..

  • Bill_Toge

    Member
    February 13, 2015 at 12:58 pm

    Euxyl PE9010 is an exceptionally reliable preservative, but it’s better suited to emulsions and you’ll have a lot of trouble dissolving it in a gel

    when DMDMH has failed on its own, we’ve used Glydant Plus from Lonza, which is a blend of DMDMH and iodopropynyl butylcarbamate; it’s never failed us yet
  • David

    Member
    February 13, 2015 at 1:09 pm

    @Bill_Toge thanks, this is the kind of information suppliers seems to avoid. I think the Glydant plus will be a better choice for a hair gel product project with a short dead line.

  • storminnorman

    Member
    July 14, 2017 at 6:10 pm

    I have also used Euxyl PE 9010 and it is an excellent preservative. I haven’t done it in a few years but Sculke & Mayr the makers of Euxyl used toallow you to send them formulations to get their recommendation on the best preservative. I’m not sure if they still do this but you could look for the sales rep for your area and they would tell you if they still provide this service.

  • DRBOB@VERDIENT.BIZ

    Member
    July 14, 2017 at 11:23 pm

    Germaben 2 will not fail at 1 percent.

  • TheWiz

    Member
    July 28, 2017 at 4:05 pm

    Here is a formula for a liquid preservative system I developed and used in a wide variety of personal care items, including gels, creams and shampoo/Bath formulas for years.  It never failed.

    Propylene Glycol  66%
    Methyl Paraben  11%
    Propyl Paraben  3%
    Phenoxyethanol  20%

    Procedure: 

    Phase A
    Heat Propylene Glycol and add with mixing Methyl Paraben and Propy Paraben until Parabens are completely dissolved and mixture is clear.
    Phase B
    Cool to below 40C and add Phenoxyethanol with mixing.

    Finished product will be crystal clear, and extremely effective.

    Use percentage, depending on certain types of actives, between 0.5%  - 1.5%.

    I hope this helps.       

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