Mould growth

[Jennifer Marion]

Hi there,

I having been making my moisturiser for a few years now and recently my daughter said hers grew mould. My formula is all natural and I use phytocide and leucidal together at the highest percentages. Oil in water emulsion.....I also use olivem1000 for my emulsifying wax. My cream is thick but I like it that way.
What might the reasons be for mould growth?, I have not had any ongoing issues since increasing preservative amounts in 2014! I am puzzled....and concerned as it happened one other time in between times with a customer and not since then, until now.
I am also still dealing with some oil sweating fromthe product through the summer, it's not bad but it needs to be fixed as I had one complaint, not sure what to do here.

Thanks

 

[paradisi]

As far as I recall, neither phytocide nor Leucidal are reliable preservatives on their own nor in combination with each other. You can start there, finding ones that are better up to the task.

Leucidal in particular has some very concerning reports on it as to possibly only working at all because of real preservatives being "accidentally " in it, same as happened with GSE.

There's a thread here with a link to a good article on preservatives & efficacy, but I couldn't find it just now. Someone here who sells lotions will likely be along with more info for you.

 

[AliOop]

You probably want to send your lotions in to be tested to confirm whether your preservative is working at all.

Given the information @paradisi shared, it's entirely possible that all of your lotions have been going bad, but you aren't aware of it. I say that because by the time you are seeing visible mold, the invisible growth usually has been there for a long time.

 

[Kcryss]

I also make lotion and try to keep it as natural as possible. The one thing I add that is not considered "Natural" is the preservative. After a great deal of research, I've personally made the decision to use a true and fully tested broad spectrum preservative. Just too many chances for something to grow, enter someone's body via a tiny cut or something and cause a critical illness.

This is what I use now: Euxyl PE 9010. I've recently switched from using Liquid Germall Plus

 

[TheGecko]

How old is the lotion and how was it stored and used?

I used to test [abuse] natural skin care products for a friend. I'd do casual stuff like not put the lid back on or not put it back on securely, or not use clean and/or dry hands when dipping into a jar, putting the excess lotion or cream back in the jar/bottle, leaving the jar or bottle on the window sill or the edge of the bathtub or under a lamp.

That's the downside of 'natural' products.

 

[justjacqui]

Leucidal and Phytocide are considered very poor preservatives and have no coverage against mold or other fungi.

Here is a review of some common preservatives and their coverage against different types of bacteria and fungi. You need to ensure that you have broad spectrum coverage and need to get your product tested if you are selling.

If oil is "sweating" out of your product it means it is not stable and you really should address this issue as well. Have you stability tested your product?

You also need to ensure your pH is at a suitable level for the preservative you are working with.

Hope this helps

 

[BWt]

Leucidal and Phytocide are considered very poor preservatives and have no coverage against mold or other fungi.

Here is a review of some common preservatives and their coverage against different types of bacteria and fungi. You need to ensure that you have broad spectrum coverage and need to get your product tested if you are selling.

If oil is "sweating" out of your product it means it is not stable and you really should address this issue as well. Have you stability tested your product?

You also need to ensure your pH is at a suitable level for the preservative you are working with.

Hope this helps

please add the link to the review of some common preservatives. I use Germaben and it has worked very well but not currently doing anything with water base. Thank You

 

[DeeAnna]

A reputable source for info about preservatives is article Preservative Reviews on the Making Skincare website. Here is the info from this website about Leucidal and Phytocide--

Leucidal Liquid SF, Leucidal Liquid and Leucidal Complete
PhytoCide Aspen Bark Extract Powder
Amticide Coconut
Phytocide elderberry OS.

Protects against:
– gram positive bacteria? Poor
– gram negative bacteria? Poor
– fungi? No

 

[Zany_in_CO]

I've personally made the decision to use a true and fully tested broad spectrum preservative.

I also believe that's the safest option. My experience with "natural" preservatives is that they start smelling off in about 6 months. YMMV

This is what I use now: Euxyl PE 9010. I've recently switched from using Liquid Germall Plus

Thanks for the tip! Looks like an excellent choice. I bookmarked it. Lotion Crafter is my go-to source for all leave-on products.

 

[justjacqui]

Whoops. Sorry I forgot the link but DeeAnna has kindly provided it.

https://makingskincare.com/preservatives/

 

[cmzaha]

This is why I stayed away from the so-called Natural Preservatives, they never had good ratings. With my emulsifier, I did well with a combination of Optiphen Plus and Germall Plus for most of my formulas. I never depended on just one preservative.

 

[Skin Perfection]

Natural preservatives can be tricky. You should research and ensure you are starting with the correct formulas and usage amounts.

Leucidal Liquid is a MILD antimicrobial. It is a natural ferment from radish root. If used with water-based formulas, it will need to be combined with another preservative for full protection. It's best used alone for oil-based formulas.

Leucidal Liquid SF is a ferment of lactobacillus. It is stronger than Leucidal Liquid, and most formulators like the results and prefer the stronger version.

Leucidal Complete is a blend of Leucidal Liquid, Leucidal Liquid SF, and Coconut (AMTicide). It provides the best broad-spectrum and antimicrobial protection. This is best for water-based formulas. It is more difficult to formulate than the other Leucidals. It can be SOLID at room temperature and will need to be melted before use.

Take a look at all versions of Leucidal Line-Up.

All Leucidal products are compatible with many ingredients but still need to be tested for any issues. One main issue is haziness. You can improve the clarity of your formula by using a stabilizing agent. Using a 2% concentration of Sodium Citrate or Sodium Chloride with .5% Xanthum Gum.

Leucidal Complete can be incompatible with highly anionic ingredients or carbomers. Hyaluronic Acid and Xanthan Gum are compatible and recommended thickeners.

We recommend starting with a small batch to test. Always begin with a 4% concentration of any Leucidal for best results.

Leucidal products can be a great option, especially if you are making organic products. We offer the whole Leucidal line-up.

Happy Formulating!
Skin Perfection