# sugar scrub stability



## jessicammorton (Jun 20, 2010)

I made a sugar scrub and thought it was totally shelf-stable w/o preservatives, but then I noticed a "milky haze" in it after a week or so, and then that went away (or settled out) after 2-3 more weeks.  I use brown sugar and ground almonds as the exfoliants, and the rest of the ingredients are plant oils, essential oils, and raw wildflower honey.  There is a thick layer of oil that coats the top of the sugar and nuts, and I don't add any water (I heard honey was ok, as it has natural antibacterial properties).  I thought maybe the milky haze was maybe coming from suspended solids in the nuts (almond milk?). 

Any food science geeks - like me - out there who can advise?  Does a formula like this need perservatives?  IMHO, I thought the water activity was way way too low for anything to grow.  It smells great and works fine, without any skin reaction.


----------



## Deda (Jun 20, 2010)

are you using it in a damp environment?  are scooping it out with moist hands?


----------



## carebear (Jun 20, 2010)

jessicammorton said:
			
		

> I made a sugar scrub and thought it was totally shelf-stable w/o preservatives, but then I noticed a "milky haze" in it after a week or so, and then that went away (or settled out) after 2-3 more weeks.  I use brown sugar and ground almonds as the exfoliants, and the rest of the ingredients are plant oils, essential oils, and raw wildflower honey.  There is a thick layer of oil that coats the top of the sugar and nuts, and I don't add any water (I heard honey was ok, as it has natural antibacterial properties).  I thought maybe the milky haze was maybe coming from suspended solids in the nuts (almond milk?).
> 
> Any food science geeks - like me - out there who can advise?  Does a formula like this need preservatives?  IMHO, I thought the water activity was way way too low for anything to grow.  It smells great and works fine, without any skin reaction.



As a food science geek (seriously, it's my degree  ), yes you need a preservative.

The milky haze probably isn't bacterial or fungal if the product had never been used, but still - you need a preservative because it is entirely likely that water WILL be introduced and that there will be localized areas of higher water activity.  If it has been used - and contaminated with water - well then all bets are off and the milky haze could be anything.

Read on...

Water can be introduced while in-use, from wet hands and shower splashing and the like.  Also due to the hygroscopic nature of your scrub, condensation can form in the high humidity environment of a steamy bathroom or shower.

Honey's antibacterial properties won't do **** in a mixed system, by the way.  Honey on it's own is pretty well preserved by these mystical powers and by the high concentration of sugars, but it won't preserve other things.


----------



## jessicammorton (Jun 20, 2010)

No, the product got the milky haze before being used and after being packaged in sanitized jars.  The amount of "growth" was a lot, considering the situation, so I might chalk it up to the almonds getting milky in the oils.  I can keep the scrub in the fridge after opening, but I want to be able to sell this product w/o causing too much inconvenience for the customer.  What do you recommend to use as a preservative?  I am going the all-natural route and would like to steer away from parabens.  It's quite confusing and it seems like everyone has an opinion...what's yours?  Thanks


----------



## bodybym (Jun 20, 2010)

I like optiphen because it is paraben free - and it works in all applications so I only have to have 1 preservative.


----------



## carebear (Jun 20, 2010)

optiphen is an excellent choice. http://www.snowdriftfarm.com/optiphen.html

it's unlikely you'll find a "natural" preservative that is effective without serious negatives like absurd cost, stinky odor, and narrow range of efficacy.  if you do find one, please let us know - crafters the world 'round would love to hear of it.


----------



## carebear (Jun 20, 2010)

Oh, and keeping it in the fridge - even for yourself - is no guarantee that things won't grow.

And beyond inconveniencing them, customers cannot be trusted to follow directions.


----------



## Tabitha (Jun 20, 2010)

> I want to be able to sell this product w/o causing too much inconvenience for the customer.



I can not think of anything more inconvenient that finding the scrub I just bought is molded. Many people who are trying to go the all natural route dislike preservatives, but mold/bacteria is much worse, IMHO.


----------



## jessicammorton (Jun 20, 2010)

carebear said:
			
		

> Oh, and keeping it in the fridge - even for yourself - is no guarantee that things won't grow.
> 
> And beyond inconveniencing them, customers cannot be trusted to follow directions.



yes - they are there, but they'll just grow slower!


----------



## madpiano (Jun 21, 2010)

I like to make my scrubs without preservative, but that does mean I have to make a compromise. There is no way I would put foodie items (like almonds or seeds) into it and I have now gone off "normal" scrubs and do single use ones instead. It's just safer that way, if I want to keep the preservative out. 

Theoretically, the small amount of water introduced to it by wet hands shouldn't be an issue, but I cannot guarantee that a customer doesn't leave the scrub in the shower and drips into it, and I have had tubs fall into the bath before. Just don't want my customers to have mouldy products from me.


----------



## jessicammorton (Jun 21, 2010)

Hmmm...what if the scrub is packaged in a squeeze tube (like sunscreens), which would prevent contamination from air, water, and hands?  Could I then use a natural complex of preservatives (I am thinking GSE, rosemary extract, sorbic acid, and perhaps phenoxyethanol) and have a 6 mo or more shelf life?  Only way to know is to try, right?


----------



## Deda (Jun 21, 2010)

challenge testing, apc's and all the lab fees are quite expensive.  
how will you know if your natural preservatives will hold up?


----------



## carebear (Jun 21, 2010)

No a squeeze tube is not going to protect it enough.
And that cocktail isn't going to do it - GSE is an antioxidant and despite some flawed research out there it's not a preservative.  Sorbic Acid has a limited range of efficacy and seems to be good to preserve a product from the micro-organisms that are introduced during manufacture (from relatively clean products in a clean environment) but is not effective against contaimination after the fact if there is much at all. Phenoxyethanol is a sensitizer and an irritatnt and I'd personally stay away from it.

Here is just some of the info on Sorbic Acid - tho I think potassium sorbate is probably a better option and still not enough.

http://www.snowdriftfarm.com/lotionmaking101_p3.html


----------



## jessicammorton (Jun 21, 2010)

Thanks for the info Carebear...so, in lieu of all those natural preservatives i mentioned, what is a sure-fire choice/choices that I can trust using in most applications without skin irritation, photosensitization, carcinogenic effects?  This is a new area to me and I appreciate your opinions.

Don't you still need to challenge test and micro test products preserved with the synthetics, too?  What are other cottage skin care businesses doing?  Maybe I just need to suck it up and stick with shampoo bars, solid lotions, and dry scrubs if all-natural is the way I intend to go


----------



## carebear (Jun 21, 2010)

The choice of preservatives will depend on the exact system being made - optiphen is a good option in many cases and there are others.

Anyone who makes a product with water (either in the formulation or expected to have it introduced) needs to have them tested.  This said, it's "challenging" to test a scrub as it's hard to say how much water will be introduced by a consumer.  I don't sell scrubs or hydrous products as I will not deal with that.


----------



## jessicammorton (Jun 21, 2010)

Thanks - I think I will order some Optiphen Plus and try it in concert with other natural preservatives.  I was looking at the ingredient lists for Burt's Bees and saw that they use phenoxyethanol, which must mean I can use the optiphen and still say my product is natural (although "natural" could mean just about anything these days).  And maybe switch to the squeeze tube packaging...although the instructions for my jar product say to use a clean spoon, you're right: consumers can't be trusted to follow that.  So much to learn!


----------



## carebear (Jun 22, 2010)

you can use ANYTHING and call it natural.

hell, what is petroleum if not natural?  it's brought up from the ground, and even better it's derived from the carcasses of rotting dinos?

But anyway, I think that most phenoxyethanol around today is compounded (made, synthetic, whatever) as opposed to somehow derived from nature.  It's quite controversial as you will see if you search on "is phenoxyethanol natural" or "phenoxyethanol toxic" or the like.


----------



## jessicammorton (Jun 28, 2010)

OK, I think I convinced myself I don't want to go the phenoxyethanol route...anyone out there using just essential oils, GSE, rosemary extract, sodium benzoate, citric acid, and other natural extracts (aspen bark, willow bark, etc) for a preservative system?  I am not looking for the 2 year shelf life of commercial products, 6-12 months is fine.


----------



## agriffin (Jun 28, 2010)

jessicammorton said:
			
		

> OK, I think I convinced myself I don't want to go the phenoxyethanol route...anyone out there using just essential oils, GSE, rosemary extract, sodium benzoate, citric acid, and other natural extracts (aspen bark, willow bark, etc) for a preservative system?  I am not looking for the 2 year shelf life of commercial products, 6-12 months is fine.



I don't think you're going to get the answer you are wanting.  "Natural preservatives" just don't exist.  I think your best bet is optiphen or something similar.  

If you choose to go the "natural" way with extracts, etc...you'll just have to do and see.  But it is not something that will "definately" work.  Too iffy for me, especially if I am selling my product.


----------



## jessicammorton (Jun 28, 2010)

Well, maybe I can use optiphen at a low level and supplement with other natural preservatives until I learn more about preservation systems...my main concern with optiphen is that phenoxyethanol is considered a skin irritant.  

I made some creams 3 months ago that I was just trialing with, and did not use anything to preserve except a little GSE and essential oils (I didn't even bother to sterilize my jars that time).  I use those creams every day, and several of my friends do too, and they are always stored in the bathroom cupboard...no sign of problem yet, no mold and no separation in either of them and they still smell great too.  So the preservatives maybe don't need to be too high, anyway.


----------



## madpiano (Jun 28, 2010)

I am using "Microkill" (Phenoxyethanol, Capyryl Glycol, Chlorphenesin) and the usage recommendation is 0.75-1.5%. 

I am not sure how much preservative you thought there would be in a product, but usually they are around the 1% mark. Considering Microkill is made up of 3 different ingredients, Phenoxyethanol will be around 0.3% of the product. I am not sure how much of a skin irritant it could be at that kind of concentration. Of course if you put it on your skin neatly or feed it to the cat you could have some problems. But if you think about it, if you put Peppermint Oil neat on the skin it is also a skin irritant.


----------



## carebear (Jun 28, 2010)

I know you will, Jessica, but please be sure to use the preservative at the level recommended for your product.  Preservatives are not necessarily additive -


----------



## jessicammorton (Jun 28, 2010)

madpiano said:
			
		

> I am using "Microkill" (Phenoxyethanol, Capyryl Glycol, Chlorphenesin) and the usage recommendation is 0.75-1.5%.
> 
> I am not sure how much preservative you thought there would be in a product, but usually they are around the 1% mark. Considering Microkill is made up of 3 different ingredients, Phenoxyethanol will be around 0.3% of the product. I am not sure how much of a skin irritant it could be at that kind of concentration. Of course if you put it on your skin neatly or feed it to the cat you could have some problems. But if you think about it, if you put Peppermint Oil neat on the skin it is also a skin irritant.



good point...


----------



## janex (Jun 30, 2010)

I made a scrub before using coarse granulated brown sugar and almond oil... it lasted ages and smelled yummy! As long as the oil is covering the sugar I think it is ok!

http://www.letsgetsoapy.co.uk for amazing bath and shower products


----------



## Sunny (Jul 3, 2010)

jessicammorton said:
			
		

> I made some creams 3 months ago that I was just trialing with, and did not use anything to preserve except a little GSE and essential oils (I didn't even bother to sterilize my jars that time).  I use those creams every day, and several of my friends do too, and they are always stored in the bathroom cupboard...no sign of problem yet, no mold and no separation in either of them and they still smell great too.  So the preservatives maybe don't need to be too high, anyway.



I use Optiphen at around 1% ... pretty low concentration, to me! 

A lady at my farmer's market was selling lotion that was "all natural" and yes it really was, and she did use aloe juice in place of water, but no preservative. When I asked how long it would last she said "six months, but many say theirs have lasted over a year."

Skeptical! Isn't there stuff growing in there that we may not see? Even if after 3 months your lotion seems fine, I'd be scared of what microscopic stuff may be going on in there...


----------



## Tabitha (Jul 4, 2010)

janex said:
			
		

> I made a scrub before using coarse granulated brown sugar and almond oil... it lasted ages and smelled yummy! As long as the oil is covering the sugar I think it is ok!
> 
> http://www.letsgetsoapy.co.uk for amazing bath and shower products



You may not have seen the bacteria but it was there. I do not know why people continue to argue this point. No preservative in a scrub = bacteria. It is a moot point. I don't care what you 'think', you are flat out wrong.


----------



## jessicammorton (Jul 6, 2010)

Tabitha said:
			
		

> janex said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I'm disappointed.  That's not very constructive feedback at all.  People come here to ask questions, get advice, learn, and help others.  No one knows everything right away and it's not positive to attack them for what they don't know - and what you might not know for sure.


----------



## Tabitha (Jul 8, 2010)

Seriously?


----------



## Bukawww (Mar 23, 2011)

I know this is an old thread but I couldn't help but tell jessica...that the reason she isn't getting constructive advice is that newbies come around thinking they can talk enough circles and end up with an 'all natural' preservative option AND THERE JUST IS NO SUCH THING.

Trust me, I've been trying to talk my own circles in my research and I've finally reached the bolded conclusion.

No one is trying to bamboozle you or HIDE their secret 'preservative free preservative lol...


----------



## 12345smf (Mar 23, 2011)

Enough.


----------

