• Formulating

  Too Much Preservative?

  Posted by MDBeauty on February 28, 2025 at 12:54 pm

  Hi everyone, I am tasked with a hair and scalp mist and would like your opinion on the amount of preservative used. We are using Phenoxyethanol and Ethylhexylglycerin at .8%, Sodium Benzoate at .3% and Potassium Sorbate at .2%. We are also using a chelator at .1%. Is this overkill? pH will be approximately 5.

  Distilled Water 87.65

  Aloe Water

  Hydroxypropyl Bis-Hydroxyethyldimonium Chloride

  Glycerine

  Polyquaternium 81

  DL Panthenol

  Phenoxyethanol and Ethylhexylglycerin 0.8

  Sorbitan Oleate Decylglucoside Crosspolymer

  Allantoin

  Sodium Benzoate 0.3

  Potassium Sorbate 0.2

  Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate 0.1

  Lavender Essential Oil

  Tea Tree Essential Oil

  • This discussion was modified 2 months ago by  MDBeauty.

  PhilGeis replied 1 month, 4 weeks ago 2 Members · 2 Replies
• 2 Replies

• 

  MDBeauty

  Beginning formulator

  February 28, 2025 at 12:56 pm

  @PhilGeis

  @PhilGeis Your opinion is appreciated as always.

• 

  PhilGeis

  Member

  March 1, 2025 at 7:11 am

  These are on the high side BUT, within the boundaries of safety (per established ceilings and HRIPT if you can access), there is no “too much preservative”. Folks here work under the technical cover of USP 51-type testing that merely tells that a preservative effect is there - not that it’s enough. Be assured that every cosmetic recalled passed that test and prob with complete kill.

  Some pharma micro folks titrate their systems to just pass USP 51 effectively assuming a safety role. To my perspective this is absolute BS. I hope none here follow this stupid practice.

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