Shelf Life of Creams and Lotions?

[craftykelly]

How do you know how long your cream and/or lotion will be good for? I mean apart from having it sit there for months to watch for mold growth.

Is there an approx time frame I should give customers?

 

[KSL]

I'd like to know too.

 

[IanT]

It depends whether you are using a preservative or not, I have made unpreserved lotions that will last 1 month outside the fridge without mold growing, or 1.5 months in the fridge....now WITH preservatives it would depend moreso on your oils and the type of preservative you are using...


id say anywhere from 6-8 months it should be good?? i could be wrong as im not highly experienced in making lotion WITH preservatives yet and ive only been experiemting with foodgrade preservatives...

 

[KSL]

What preservatives have you been using?
And do you just watch for mold growth? Or have you found a little test kit for bacteria that you can't see?

I've only used Germaben so far... and don't know if I'm using the correct amount.. lol

 

[llineb]

It depends whether you are using a preservative or not, I have made unpreserved lotions that will last 1 month outside the fridge without mold growing, or 1.5 months in the fridge....now WITH preservatives it would depend moreso on your oils and the type of preservative you are using...


id say anywhere from 6-8 months it should be good?? i could be wrong as im not highly experienced in making lotion WITH preservatives yet and ive only been experiemting with foodgrade preservatives...

are you talking vitamin e or something else? and if so where do you get it?
thanks!

 

[Goldenearthgirl]

Vitamin E isn't a preservative it's an antioxidant. Try Jen at www.lotioncrafters.com for lots of options.

 

[krissy]

i know that this is debated and i am really seeking info for my self not to try to sell lotion or anything like that, i just want to understand.

when i made a lotion i contacted a certain pretty well talked about site that is mentioned here pretty often and asked them point blank if borax is a preservative and if it is the only preservative i add is the lotion safe to sell or leave out on my shelf etc... and will i need any other preservative at all to keep it from spoiling or growing mold. their answer was that it was perfectly safe to use as your only preservative and the lotions i made with it would be fine just like with any other preservative. so from an experienced lotioner is this true? i want to make my own lotions for me and the family but i hate keeping it cold-i hate cold things touching me.

 

[AZ Soaper]

NOOOOOOO!!!!!!! Borax is NOT a preservative. And if you do not add a preservative it will not last a month even in the frig. It also depends on the manufacturing techniques, the oils and where they come from, the containers that it is placed in, and on and on.

You can see when mold develops but you can not see the bacteria, viruses and or fungus that grows.

Please remember that when you are using lotion, some of this absorbs into the skin taking some of this stuff with it, or if it gets into an open area of your skin.
Please do more research! This isn't anything to take lightly.

 

[Cosmoman]

Tinosan seems to be a great natural type broad spectrum biocide, but you must put your product in amber bottles.
By all means use something that is "broad spectrum" so it will help prevent mold and fungus as well as other nasties.

These biocides do not kill the bugs, but slow the growth . You must test every batch with the home test kits.
I plan to use these test strips and once a month, stick an unwashed finger in the test jar and then test again in 30 days , then add a little tap water and test again in 30 days.

I use "sterilized water" that I make in an autoclave and wipe everything down in 70% alcohol and soak my bottles , caps and utensils.
Wear gloves at all times and a hair net and lab coat. Its a lot of trouble , but every bit helps.

 

[Cosmoman]

thats right, Vitamin E only helps extend life of oils becoming rancid. You have to be sure and use the correct type of Vitamin E.

There are other natural substances that also work.