# Sugar Scrub confusion



## Twilitr (Dec 14, 2009)

Ok, so i wanna add sugar scrubs to my gift giving list this year. I made a little batch with Coconut oil and white sugar...i love the way it leaves your hands soft. So i guess my ? is this. IF there is no water in the mix then why the need for a preservitive? I added glycerin as well to help it not harden up. (i was using the 76*) would i need to get fractionated CO? also what would be a good "expiration date" for these? i wanna keep it as basic as possible, after the holidays i will get Sweet Almond Oil since i have read godd stuff about that as well. How would you get the scrub to foam up for someone requesting that as well? thansk everyone


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## Tabitha (Dec 14, 2009)

Wet hands will dip into the jar & deposit both water & bacteria. Even if you use a spoon, steam will get into the mix.


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## Twilitr (Dec 14, 2009)

would Vit E be a good one? i hear there are diff types


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## dagmar88 (Dec 15, 2009)

No, vit E is an antioxidant. 
Lotioncrafter gives some good info about their broadspectrum preservatives.
http://www.lotioncrafter.com/lotioncraf ... ervatives/


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## Twilitr (Dec 15, 2009)

I found on i like onlotion crafters, how much would be enough to make a few 4oz scrubs and still have some left over, whats the equation of amout of pres. per lb of oil?


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## Zenobiah (Dec 15, 2009)

It usually says on the website what the percentage of preservative is supposed to be.


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## awi (Dec 17, 2009)

I don't mean to hi-jack this thread, but I am also interested in making some sugar scrubs WITHOUT any preservative.  I understand how hands dipping into a jar would introduce bacteria and water causing it to grow nasty stuff, but would it be appropriate to mix up a small batch and place enough into a container as a "one time use" item.  You could use those little condiment style cups with the clear lid and sell them like that couldn't you?  What do you all think....I am just throwing an idea out there.


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## dagmar88 (Dec 17, 2009)

If it's for personal use only. Sometimes I do make a very simple scrub (just some salt, sugar & oils/butters) and use it right away.
But for selling & giving away, no preservative isn't an option.


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## Zenobiah (Dec 17, 2009)

This is why I am so interested in the sugar cube scrub. No need for preservative as it is 1. soap and 2. in single-use portions.


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## awi (Dec 17, 2009)

Zenobiah said:
			
		

> This is why I am so interested in the sugar cube scrub. No need for preservative as it is 1. soap and 2. in single-use portions.



Zenobiah -  I have never heard of these, but sound really neat...how do you do it?


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## renaissancemom (Jan 2, 2010)

sugar is a natural preservative in itself, it inhibits bacterial growth caused by heat or steam.  Vitamin E, to my knowledge and understanding, is an atioxidant that is used to preserve oils and would be good to use in a sugar scrub.


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## Tabitha (Jan 2, 2010)

> sugar is a natural preservative in itself, it inhibits bacterial growth caused by heat or steam. Vitamin E, to my knowledge and understanding, is an atioxidant that is used to preserve oils and would be good to use in a sugar scrub.



Sugar may act as a preservative in some situation, such as canning fruit, but it is not the sugar alone or you would not have to boil the jars to suck the air out. 

It will not keep a scrub from growing bacteria.


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## carebear (Jan 3, 2010)

Sugar IS a natural preservative at high enough levels - but in a scrub or other product into which water is likely to be introduced, another preservative is pretty much mandatory.  This is because in those small puddles of bath water or condensation in the jar the concentration of sugar isn't high enough.

Vitamin E, well actually you want mixed tocopherols but Vit E is close enough for now, is a fairly effective antioxidant - so while your preservative will aid in protecting your scrub against mold and bacteria, your vitamin E can help protect against rancidity.


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## flowerpower (Jan 4, 2010)

If you're adding glycerin into an oil-based scrub, it'll separate eventually since water (glycerin is water soluble) and oil does not mix without an emulsifier. If coconut 76 is too stiff for you, I'd recommend just dropping it altogether and using a liquid oil instead (such as FCO or Sweet Almond).


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## Zenobiah (Jan 4, 2010)

I believe there is a thread with a recipe in the photo forum. Pretty recent too. Sorry I don't have time to find the direct link right now.


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## carebear (Jan 4, 2010)

I  missed the glycerin part - with that you double MUST have a preservative as that is a humectant and will help draw moisture out of the air (think steamy, hot bathroom) and it will be even more likely to end up with water in it.

and yes - without an emulsifier and a good beating the glycerin will separate out.


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## renaissancemom (Jan 4, 2010)

would adding citric acid work as a preservative?


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## flowerpower (Jan 5, 2010)

renaissancemom said:
			
		

> would adding citric acid work as a preservative?



No. Citric acid is a pH adjuster, not a preservative.


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## renaissancemom (Jan 6, 2010)

not to beat this subject to death, but any suggestions for "natural" preservatives? would rosemary oil extract or something similar work?


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## Tabitha (Jan 6, 2010)

I have seen bath bombs at 25% citric grow mold.


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## dagmar88 (Jan 7, 2010)

renaissancemom said:
			
		

> not to beat this subject to death, but any suggestions for "natural" preservatives? would rosemary oil extract or something similar work?



No; rosemary oil extract is, like vitamine E, an antioxidant. 
And those do exactly what their name implies: slowing down or preventing oxidation by neutralizing free radicals. 
They do not have anti-bacterial properties, nor do they prevent mold & yeast growth.

To my knowledge, there is no 'natural' broad-spectrum preservative available at this time.

As far as I'm concerned the most important thing when using/giving away/selling products is that they are safe for use.
You cannot ensure safety without using a preservative or by replacing proper preservatives with vit E/ROE/GSE when a formula needs it.

For more info on different preservatives, go to www.lotioncrafter.com.


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## carebear (Jan 7, 2010)

there are one or two that seemed promising - from what I"ve read - but they apparently have a horrendous odor.  so not so great after all.


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## dagmar88 (Jan 7, 2010)

Yes, I've looked into natural preservatives a bit too; but looking at the ingredients they are either less natural than you'd think or they have downsides that make them pretty much unusable...


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## Zenobiah (Jan 7, 2010)

Oh yes. I wish. Only thing you can look for are preservatives with as few harmful side-effects as possible, or make your products in a way that doesn't require them (aka Shea butter with no water, solid scrub, lotion bars, etc.)


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## Bukawww (Mar 18, 2010)

What about a lotion cube with sugar in it?  

I think sugar scrub cubes are adorable...and love that they are preserv free.  But I don't love the M&P in them.  So what if I did a lotion bar cube with sugar in it...would that work?  Without preservatives?


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## Bukawww (Mar 18, 2010)

Or what about Grapefruit seed extract as a natural antibacterial?


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## Tabitha (Mar 18, 2010)

You do not have to use M&P in sugar scrub cubes. You can make them w/ cocoa butter instead, for firmness.


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## Bukawww (Mar 23, 2010)

Love the quote in your sig, Tabitha - hubby and I just went to see that a few days ago and that absolutely made me giggle when I heard it   

So you just melt the oils including cocoa butter for firmness, add the sugar and maybe some Vit E for a smidgen of sustainability...that sounds like an oily bath though.  I guess thats what the sugar scrub goop is though, right?


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## mandolyn (Mar 26, 2010)

OK, what is the reasoning behind not wanting to use preservatives? They are used in such small amounts, I don't see what all the ruckus is about. They are not harmful when used in the supplier's recommended useage amounts.

There's a lot of negative hype on the internet about parabens, etc, but it's just that - negative hype!

I would much rather not have to worry about anyone - myself, family, friend or customer being exposed to microbials in my products.

What if someone used your unpreserved product & they had a scratch or open wound of some type. The product has no preservative & someone has contaminated it by putting their diry hand into it. Maybe they didin't wash after using the restroom or changing a diaper. Maybe they just had their hand on the lid of the garbage can & didn't wash it. Maybe, they've picked up microbials from some other microbe-infected surface.

From using my own sugar scrubs, I can tell you it's supremely easy to get water into them - & I'm trying to be careful not to!! Someone can forget to put the lid on & it gets moisture from the bathroom as someone takes a hot shower, or water gets dripped in, or that spoon has been sitting out & is exposed to who knows what & you stick it into the jar for the 10th time this month after it's touched your hand as many times transferring whatever microbes are on your skin + whatever was in the air.

There are so many opportunities to contaminate a product, so why in the world take that chance? Ask anyone who's had a staph infection how difficult it is to cure it & how painful it is. 

Everyone is so creative with supposed alternatives to preservatives, so why not be as creative at pinpointing the chances of contamination?

I challenge you to find just one, proven alternative to using a preservative that will take care of my number of ways of contaminating a sugar scrub. LOL!


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