Glyserin in boddybutter

[svanhild-anita]

Im planing on making boddybutter for winter, im thinking of putting glyserin in it but does it need a preservative if i do that.

 

[DeeAnna]

Some people will argue that a preservative is not required if glycerin is the ONLY water-soluble ingredient. That's all well and good when the product is sitting on the shelf, but once in use, there are no guarantees this will remain true. Water (and bacteria and other contaminants) will be introduced if the product is being used with damp fingers in humid bathrooms. And remember the product will be used for however long it lasts, which can be months or even years.

So, yes, I personally would err on the conservative side and use a preservative, even for my personal use. If it's for your personal use, it's up to you. If you plan to give this away or sell it, you need to use a preservative.

You should consider using an emulsifier as well, because fat soluble ingredients and water soluble ingredients don't mix.

 

[user 29052]

Some people will argue that a preservative is not required if glycerin is the ONLY water-soluble ingredient. That's all well and good when the product is sitting on the shelf, but once in use, there are no guarantees this will remain true. Water (and bacteria and other contaminants) will be introduced if the product is being used with damp fingers in humid bathrooms. And remember the product will be used for however long it lasts, which can be months or even years.

So, yes, I personally would err on the conservative side and use a preservative, even for my personal use. If it's for your personal use, it's up to you. If you plan to give this away or sell it, you need to use a preservative.

You should consider using an emulsifier as well, because fat soluble ingredients and water soluble ingredients don't mix.

Hello DeeAnna,
I am making shaving soap and wonder which preservative and/or emulsifier I can use best? Do you have any recommendations?
By the way, I think your posts in the long threat about shaving soap are amazing! I'm now halfway and have learned a lot.Maybe there is already something posted on that threat but that is in the half that I have not yet read.

 

[shunt2011]

Not DeeAnna but I don't add preservative to the shaving soap. It also doesn't require an emulsifier if you are following the recipe listed in the shaving forum. Again, it's soap. Lye, Oils, butters, Stearic Acid & Glycerine.

 

[DeeAnna]

@EP013 -- I agree with Shari -- you don't need a preservative (or an emulsifier) in shave soap, if it's true lye-based soap. Soap has a naturally high pH and that helps to preserve it in most situations.

To compare shave soap to the OP's question -- Body butter doesn't have a high pH. In fact, a body butter, being all fats, it doesn't have a pH at all since pH is by definition a property of a water-based solution. If a person wants to add water-soluble ingredients to the fats to make a "hydrous" body butter, a separate preservative (and emulsifier) should be included, since the product has become a very thick lotion or cream containing both fat-soluble and water-soluble ingredients. It is no longer a fat-only body butter.

I don't know why you'd think you need an emulsifier in shave soap. If you've been reading the shave soap threads, I don't recall anyone discussing that they use an emulsifier (but I'm speaking from memory here). I do know some people make "shave soap" using non-soap ingredients. Since you don't mention anything about what's in your shave soap, if it's not really soap, you should probably be clear about that to get the best advice.

If you want to discuss this further, please start a new thread with your question -- you'll get better advice. Also, it's not fair to the OP to derail this thread with an unrelated question.

 

[user 29052]

Thank for your answers! And sorry for derailing the thread. You are right I must ask that question in the right thread. Sorry.

 

[DeeAnna]

Discussion in any thread can take all kinds of turns and twists. I think everyone, including me, has derailed the conversation from time to time. It's just what happens! But starting a new thread with a new question is usually a better idea.

 

[cmzaha]

Hello DeeAnna,
I am making shaving soap and wonder which preservative and/or emulsifier I can use best? Do you have any recommendations?
By the way, I think your posts in the long threat about shaving soap are amazing! I'm now halfway and have learned a lot.Maybe there is already something posted on that threat but that is in the half that I have not yet read.

Unlike most I add Suttocide A preservative to my shave soap which I sell in shallow jars. Even with draining the jar I feel water can be left so I go for the side of caution

 

[SoaperForLife]

You should consider using an emulsifier as well, because fat soluble ingredients and water soluble ingredients don't mix.

I use glycerin in my body butter and don't need an emulsifier so it must depend on the recipe.

 

[DeeAnna]

Not really. You've just been lucky.