Preservatives

[stano40]

Is a preservative necessary for a bar of soap?

What is used as preservative?

 

[stephasafari]

I'm a newbie but from what I understand there is no need for one- I assume you'd follow the date for "expiry" from the oil/butter you use with the earliest expiry point.

I've read that tocopherol (Vitamin E) can be used as a natural preservative because of it's antioxidant power...can anyone correct me on this if I'm wrong? Or Grapefruit seed extract... not sure how to use these in a soap formula, though.

I'm sure more qualified soap makers will be responding any minute now... lol

 

[Relle]

Is a preservative necessary for a bar of soap?

What is used as preservative?

Simple answer - No

 

[Genny]

Soap doesn't need a preservative.

Grapefruit seed extract & vitamin E are antioxidants but not preservtives, which are 2 different things. Preservatives protect us against mold growth and bacteria, antioxidants protect products from going rancid.

 

[stephasafari]

Soap doesn't need a preservative.

Grapefruit seed extract & vitamin E are antioxidants but not preservtives, which are 2 different things. Preservatives protect us against mold growth and bacteria, antioxidants protect products from going rancid.

Thanks for the clarification.
So, with that being said- could a product have mold growth without being rancid? Or would a different way to say this be that preservatives protect against mold growth, bacteria and rancidity while antioxidants protect purely rancidity but not mold growth or bacteria?