[GabyD]

Anyone please?

[GabyD]

katerinak said:

I’m not the biggest fan of Lush but I am intrigued how they manage to make ‘self preserving’ creams and the like. 

Many of their self-preserving products have to be kept in the fridge. Even then, they can go mouldy. I have had this happen a few times with Lush products when I’ve put them in the fridge then forgotten about them.

[GabyD]

ngarayeva001 said:

Chemists with years of experience struggle with sunscreens.

OK, I need to let this one go, I think.  Again, thanks for your honesty.  I tend to oversimplify things so it’s good to have this resource for a reality check, ha ha!

[GabyD]

I found this list of ingredients.  What do we think?  Could this have potential?  I would need to find a replacement for the Beeswax, though.

Beeswax-white
candelilla wax
aloe barbadensis extract
d-alpha tocopheryl acetate (gmo-free vitamin e)
grapeseed oil
safflower oil
sesame oil
shea butter
silica
water-purified
naticide.
Active ingredient: zinc oxide (250mg/g)

[GabyD]

Wow.  And there’s me thinking I could just bung some Zinc Oxide in a cream base and call it a sunscreen, ha ha!  Thanks for your honesty guys.

[GabyD]

Setting the bar too high. I am guilty of this. I wanted everything to be organic & palm oil-free. Then the retailer demanded a ‘natural’ preservative as well.

Needless to say, it was a recipe for disaster.

[GabyD]

So can I just mix it with some water and keep it in the fridge?

[GabyD]

It’s in powder form. Can I just sprinkle it on then? I am adding 0.5%. 

[GabyD]

Where are you based jemolian?

[GabyD]

Thanks guys.  

[GabyD]

Can I use Siligel to make this into a gel?  Or even Tara Gum?  I am trying to use up what I have in the cupboard .

Ingredients:
Purified Water
Glycerine
Pentylene Glycol
Benzalkonium Chloride 
Cocoamidopropyl Betaine
Sodium Chloride.

[GabyD]

@ozgirl, Yes I am finding that! Thanks for the link, appreciate it.

[GabyD]

Thanks @Agate for the WHO link. In your opinion, if you removed the Peroxide, how much effect would it have on the efficacy of the formula?

[GabyD]

Guys, if you were making a soap to help protect against COVID-19, what would you put in it?  Is it possible to include alcohol in a soap? Sorry if that’s a dumb question .

[GabyD]

@Imosca, that is fascinating! I had to Google a couple of the terms you used, but really appreciate you explaining how the various methods work. There is a real shortage of hand sanitizer where I live so I was thinking of making some to sell through my store. 

[GabyD]

Thanks guys. I actually put in 20% shames bitter, so I assume that’s too much?

@natzam44, I am adding some active ingredients which I didn’t include in the ingredients list. This is just the base.

[GabyD]

OK great, I’ll add them after cool-down. Thank you. Really appreciate your help.

[GabyD]

Thanks @Pharma. So it’s fine to heat these ingredients?

[GabyD]

Thanks @Pharma. Can you elaborate on water/alcohol mixture?

[GabyD]

Thanks Pharma, that’s really helpful. Much appreciated.

[GabyD]

Thanks Belassi. I agree on Potassium Sorbate but the client insisted on a natural preservative! It has been a nightmare so I will not use it again.

i will check out the preservatives you’ve suggested.

Thanks for your help.

[GabyD]

Belassi said:

I’d dump the lecithin for starters, that’s the kind of thing you find on ETSY. I’ve no idea what the “Organic Food Chain” is, so I can’t comment further, sorry. Secondly, that preservative is all salts, which is going to cause problems for many emulsion systems and also only works at pH <5.5, I certainly don’t like a pH as low as you have there. EO of 0.5% seems high…

Thanks. I was told to use Lecithin for stability? Do I not need it? I can swap the preservative to Dehydroacetic acid and benzyl alcohol. Would that be better? What pH would you recommend? It’s for a moisturiser. Thanks!

[GabyD]

Belassi said:

Hardly surprising. Actually what surprises me is that it formed an emulsion in the first place. Inadequate emulsifier system.

May I ask how you’d fix it? Thanks.

[GabyD]

@Perry, the Stability Testing was carried out by an external company. I have a horrible feeling the stability issues might be happening during manufacturing. I am making the products myself so it could be something I am doing wrong.

Any ideas? Thanks.

[GabyD]

Fekher said:

@GabyD maybe a thickener will help for your emulsion stability even in warm condition. 

Like Solagum Tara?  Maybe I should increase it?