# lotions preservative question



## [email protected] (Oct 26, 2007)

I don't even know how to decide what kind of preservative to try. How does one figure that out? 

I went to lotion crafters and looked at all the lotion preservative info they had. Obviously they have different kinds. Does it matter what kind you use in a lotion recipe? Do they act differently in a recipe with the ingredients? Are certain types better for use in GM recipes?

Or are any preservatives pretty much the same? 

I haven't found any sites that explain these things yet. Does anybody know of a site that might explain how they work in a recipe? 


I found a cocoa butter lotion recipe at lotion crafter and I cut it way down, used the aloe juice Vicki recommended, put it in amber glass jars tand stored it in the fridge. I cut it down mainly so I can use it up in a week, so I don't have a lot hanging around. I cut the recipe down so I can make about 3/4 of a cup at a time. I've been trying out different oils and butters mainly to see how they feel on my skin. 

I understand that if I use GM I have to use sterile procedures, double pasteurize the milk, and use no more than 10 % in a recipe. Anything else?


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## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

I don't have a clue but need to start researching. The lady I was buying my bases from closed. *sigh* Lotion Crafters has so many nice looking formulas to try but most seem to require too many ingredients for my likes. LOL I'm leary of using GM. I just can't wrap my brain around milk sitting in a container for weeks/months and still being good....even if it does have a preservative in it. *shrug*


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## Guest (Feb 25, 2008)

This might help,
http://home.earthlink.net/~skinesscentuals/Preserve.htm


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## [email protected] (Oct 26, 2007)

This is very helpful. 

Do you guys use the Check-It kits offered from snowdrift farm too?


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

I use Barbs recipe in the recipe section and have never had a problem with nasties etc. but if your going to sell then you need to have your recipe tested by a lab.


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## [email protected] (Oct 26, 2007)

I had to find a recipe that I had the oils for, plus I didn't want to start adding lots of fancy things I'm not sure I need. No, I'm not selling this, just making it for myself and family. Mainly experimenting and seeing what the ingredients are like too.


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Until you start really making it...remember the 60/40 rules.

60% soft oils and 40% hard make good lotions.
40% soft and 60% hard make good balms, salves, creams,body butters and soap.

If you aren't against this sort of thing, soybean oil (crisco) and lard, both make wonderful lotions and creams. 

I keep some lard out in the barn, I put some on my hands before I put on my leather gloves for hoof trimming, working in the barn or in the garden. Vicki


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## [email protected] (Oct 26, 2007)

Vicki, you are great. I'm a lard and crisco fan too. I love soaps with lard in it. 

Well back to my quest. I just bought a small amount of phenoprip and the (my mind is blanking out) cosmoquil??? (Something like that.) Been studying up at lotioncrafters and snowdriftfarms about preservatives and ingredients. 

Been going back through some posts and been thinking about whipped shea. Since I just got this unrefined shea I think I'm going to try a variation on the whipped shea recipe. Does anyone know that if you add other stuff to whipped shea like honey, or glycerin, or cornstarch would that then mean you need a preservative in it? 

I went ahead and bought the check it kits too. I figure that might be a fun science experiment for us anyway. (We homeschool here.) 

Anyway, this is for myself. I'm not selling it.


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## kidsngarden (Oct 28, 2007)

glycerin and cornstarch are ok without a preservative, honey you would need one.


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## [email protected] (Oct 26, 2007)

Thats what I thought too. It's because it is a sugar right?

My kids had a blast whipping the shea up last night. It looked like all we needed to add was some sugar, vanilla and yummm. 

Natural shea has quite an interesting smell. Do people complain about it when they smell it? I couldn't decide if I liked the smell or not.


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## kidsngarden (Oct 28, 2007)

The water in honey combined with the sugars that will get ya'.

I'm converting people to the shea. Once you put it on your skin the smell goes away.


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## [email protected] (Oct 26, 2007)

Yes that shea really grows on one. I like it now, and it feels good on my face too. 

So how do you calculate how much preservative to use in a recipe? I think I know but I just want to be sure before I try it out tomorrow. 

For Otiphen it says it can be used .5-1.5%. So do I weigh everything and multiply by .015? Does that sound right?


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