Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating preservative options

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  • preservative options

    Posted by belassi on June 7, 2016 at 8:11 pm

    (yes, again)
    I can’t get what I need from Inolex because the MOQ is too high. I mean, 25Kg at 0.7% usage is sufficient to make 3.5 metric tons of product!
    I have a new potential supplier though. The new supplier reps the Italian company, Akema. They have three possibles amongst their range. Bearing in mind this is for leave-on products (creams and gels) which would you pick?
    1. KEM NAT (benzyl alc + glyceryl caprylate + glyceryl undecylate)
    2. KEM DHA (benzyl alc + dehydroacetic acid)
    3. STABIL (phenethyl alc + caprylyl glycol) - smells of roses, I know.

    May replied 3 years, 6 months ago 6 Members · 14 Replies
  • 14 Replies
  • Bobzchemist

    Member
    June 7, 2016 at 9:10 pm

    Our customers were very unhappy with phenethyl alcohol and how strongly it smelled - we had to reformulate it out of our products just months after putting it in.

  • beautynerd

    Member
    June 7, 2016 at 10:15 pm

    Solubility data for Tristat Eco which is identical to Kem Nat

    Solvent %w/w

    Water <0.1%

    Ethanol >50

    Glycerin >50

    Propylene glycol >50

    Ethylhexyl palmitate >50

    Octyldodecanol >50

    Mineral Oil 1.2

  • belassi

    Member
    June 7, 2016 at 11:17 pm

    Bob, thanks for that. I didn’t realise the odour was so strong.
    Elise, you’re saying that Tristat Eco is insoluble in water? Have I got that right?

    I’ve just learned that the MOQ is 1Kg which is fine, and also they’re going to send me samples of the three.

  • ozgirl

    Member
    June 7, 2016 at 11:35 pm

    We have used Geogard 221 (Benzyl Alcohol + Dehydroacetic Acid) in some of our creams/lotions with good results.

  • belassi

    Member
    June 7, 2016 at 11:37 pm

    Thanks Ozgirl. So, the KEM DHA perhaps.

  • belassi

    Member
    June 7, 2016 at 11:46 pm

    I just opened the product sheet and it appears that the KEM NAT is soluble in water, alcohols, and polar oils. It also has Ecocert so would be an attractive option, we are already using a high percentage of Ecocert ingredients. 

  • beautynerd

    Member
    June 8, 2016 at 7:05 pm

    Interesting they would state it is soluble in water as none of the individual components is particularly water soluble.

    There is some more information of the glyceryl caprylate/glyceryl undecylenate combo on the attached datasheet under “Plantaserv N”. Looks good.

    Ingredients To Die For warns against it being a penetration enhancer. Wonder if it would be irritating for overly dry skin. Other than that it looks pretty good. Especially the glyceryl caprylate being effective against p. acnes in concentrations as low as 0.1%

  • belassi

    Member
    June 8, 2016 at 7:14 pm

    It’s expensive, unfortunately. I can work with it though.

  • belassi

    Member
    June 10, 2016 at 9:54 pm

    I’ve got samples of KEM DHA, STABIL, and KEM NAT. I will pick one of our creams and make a test batch and split it into three, then use a different preservative in each. I’ll try them on the testers, and retain one of each to see how long it survives.

  • manstra

    Member
    June 12, 2016 at 12:58 am

    Take care using dehydroacetic acid in emulsions. You need also Vitamin E (not the acetate form) to stabilize it otherwise you might end up with unwanted browning during the shelf life of the final product.

  • belassi

    Member
    June 12, 2016 at 1:59 am

    @manstra, thanks for that. I will go with the more expensive option.

  • May

    Member
    October 13, 2020 at 10:13 pm

    @Belassi how did the three preserv samples work out in your formulations and microb tests?

  • belassi

    Member
    October 14, 2020 at 2:36 pm

    We adopted KEM NAT. The DHA destabilised emulsions.

  • May

    Member
    October 14, 2020 at 7:10 pm

    Excellent. Thank you @Belassi

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