Perservatives in products? Questions from a newbie.

[MrsFusion]

Okay, I've read tons of info here and other places. And now I'm confused!!!

So far I've made bath salts and body spray. My salts I just did epsom salt & essential oils. I've really enjoyed them.

And body spray...distilled water and essential oil. But, today after receiving my first order of clear bottles...after mixing the DW and EO the water is cloudy. Body spray you buy in stores is always clear looking. How do you make it clear? Also, how to you get the scent to last longer? And after reading many post on here today...you all are talking about using perservatives. Are they necessary in body spray with only DW and EO?

Sorry if this is basic....but, like I said...I'm just getting started. And thought that I new what I was doing until I stumbled upon this site

 

[Alina_Mau]

I use an alcohol base to my body spray a 3 parts alcohol and one part water. You can use a perfumers alcohol or even rubbing alcohol. It makes it easier to dry, just put your scent and coloring in the alcohol let it stand for about 20 minutes to let off some of the alcohol smell(depending on the size of your batch) and then add the water and shake.

its the mixing of the fragrance oil to the water that makes it cloudy

i also like to add a bit of glitter to my sprays but thats just me X3

 

[Tabitha]

If you are shipping your products at all I would stay away from alcohol all together. It is considered hasmat by the post office as it can flame in transit.

"What is a Hazardous Material?
Hazardous materials come in a wide variety of forms and can be chemical, biological, radioactive, or a combination thereof. If a material or substance can cause harm to someone or something, it can be considered a hazardous material.

The Postal Service’s definition of a hazardous material includes many common household and consumer products. These items may not be hazardous during normal use or storage in your home but can present a significant hazard when placed in the mail due to vibration, temperature changes, and variations in atmospheric pressure.

Some examples of commonly-used items restricted or considered hazardous under USPS regulations include:

Perfumes
Nail polish
Flea collars or flea sprays
Aerosols
Bleach
Pool chemicals
Paints
Matches
Batteries
Fuels or gasoline
Airbags
Dry ice
Mercury thermometers
Cleaning supplies
Items previously containing fuel
Glues
Fireworks

Other items, such as alcoholic beverages (beer, wine, liquor), are not considered hazardous but are prohibited and boxes displaying such markings are also prohibited.

If you are unsure whether a material is considered hazardous or is prohibited, please contact 1-800-ASK-USPS or your local Business Mail Entry Unit."


The best thing, IMHO, to do about cloudy body mist is to place it in a colored bottle.

 

[Alina_Mau]

um...weird then how do things like nail polish and perfumes ever get shipped

but that being said would you have an alternate recipe or a place i might find one?

thanks for the info btw Tabitha ^_^

lol that list just gave me an image of someone mailing a hunk of dried ice to someone XD

 

[Tabitha]

um...weird then how do things like nail polish and perfumes ever get shipped

but that being said would you have an alternate recipe or a place i might find one?

thanks for the info btw Tabitha ^_^

lol that list just gave me an image of someone mailing a hunk of dried ice to someone XD

I m no HASMAT specialist, but they probably go by ground. It is by air that the pressure in the hull changes, etc. Have you noticed when you order supplies some items say "ground shipping only?" Some fragrances can only go ground, etc.

 

[Tabitha]

As for a suggestion, I like the body mist base at bittercreek.

 

[carebear]

emulsifier may be necessary. and if you are using water then a preservative absolutely is.

as for alcohol, I don't like pure alcohol based products (I tend toward cyclomethicone). I don't sell the stuff, but if I choose to ship it, MUST GO GROUND. and cannot go overseas.

 

[Alina_Mau]

ah ok that all makes about 1 ton more sense thanks guys ^_^

and ill check into that base tabitha

using the alcohol is fun for experimenting for myself but the smell before it dries would be rather off putting to give to someone else :3