Lotions & Creams
Handmade lotions and creams are wonderful, but they can be very dangerous if they are not made properly and are not preserved. Many bath and body product makers claim their products are “all natural,” or “preservative-free,” or that it is “naturally preserved”. While this sounds great, it's not. It can be a disaster waiting to happen.
Lotions and creams have a high percentage of water. Bacteria love water based products and will grow and thrive in that environment. These products MUST have a preservative to be safe. Some handcrafters will tell you that they don't use a preservative because they don't want parabens in their product. Others will say they use a “natural preservative” like Grapeseed Extract or they use essential oils to preserve the product.
Here are the FACTS:
At this time, there are NO completely effective natural preservatives. There are a lot of new natural preservatives coming on the market, and some of them work well, but they still need the addition of a more traditional preservative to keep the product safe.
Grapeseed Extract, Vitamin E (Tocopherol) and ROE (Rosemary Oleoresin or Rosemary Oil Extract):
Open any older book on soap or cosmetic making and you will probably find these ingredients used as preservatives. They are not. They are anti-oxidants, not preservatives. Science has proven this to be true. They can be added to fresh oils to prolong their shelf-life, but they don't protect a product against bacteria, mold and yeast growth. While some essential oils may have anti-fungal or other properties, they are generally not strong enough to properly preserve a product containing water.
Preservatives:
Preservatives may be used in cosmetics to protect them against microbial growth, both to protect consumers and to maintain product integrity. There are essentially two groups of preservatives - paraben based and non-paraben based. When buying a handmade lotion, cream or other water-based product, read the label. You should see some of these preservatives listed in the ingredients. If you don't see a preservative listed, ask about it. If you are not sure what an ingredient is, ask the seller what it is and to tell you its purpose in the product. If the seller can't give you a definitive answer, don't buy it.
Parabens:
Parabens are the most widely used cosmetic preservatives and have been in use since the 1920's. The most common parabens used in cosmetic products are methylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben. Typically, more than one paraben is used in a product, to provide preservation against a broad range of microorganisms.
Cosmetics, as well as foods (such as blueberries) and drugs may contain parabens. Cosmetics that may contain parabens include makeup, moisturizers, hair care products, and shaving products, among others. Parabens are usually easy to identify by name, such as methylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, or benzylparaben.
There has been much negative publicity in recent years about parabens possibly causing breast cancer in women. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) reviewed the safety of methylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben in 1984 and concluded they were safe for use in cosmetic products at levels up to 25%. Typically parabens are used at levels ranging from 0.01 to 0.3% of the product.
On November 14, 2003, the CIR began the process to reopen the safety assessments of methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben in order to offer interested parties an opportunity to submit new data for consideration. In September 2005, the CIR decided to re-open the safety assessment for parabens to request exposure estimates and a risk assessment for cosmetic uses. In December 2005, after considering the margins of safety for exposure to women and infants, the Panel determined that there was no need to change its original conclusion that parabens are safe as used in cosmetics. (Here is a link to their findings.) Parabens are an effective antimicrobial against yeast and mold and the FDA has stated that at the present time, there is no reason for consumers to be concerned about the use of parabens in products.
The American Cancer Society states "So far, studies have not shown any direct link between parabens and any health problems, including breast cancer. What has been found is that there are many other compounds in the environment that also mimic naturally produced estrogen. The bottom line is that larger studies are needed to find out what effect, if any, parabens might have on breast cancer risk."
Non-Paraben preservatives:
The following is a list of the more common paraben-free preservatives. Often you will find them in combination with another preservative or with a paraben to create a broad-spectrum preservative - that is, a preservative that protects against bacteria, mold and yeast. Please note that this is not a comprehensive list.
Polyaminopropyl Biguanide
Propylene Glycol
Diazolidinyl Urea
Phenoxyethanol
Caprylyl Glycol
Sorbic Acid
Product Testing:
As makers, we are responsible to ensure that our products are safe for use. Don't be hesitant to ask a seller if their products have been tested in a lab. Testing lets the maker know that they are using a good manufacturing practice and that their preservative is working properly. These tests are relatively inexpensive and provide much peace of mind.
How is testing done? It can be as simple as sending a product sample off to a lab that offers microbiology testing of cosmetics and toiletries. Testing should include these two important assays:
Aerobic plate count (APC) – enumeration of bacteria present in a sample
Fungal/yeast count (F/YC) – enumeration of fungi (mold) or yeast present in a sample
The procedure will follow the guidelines of the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) for microbiological methods for cosmetics. While the FDA does not require any microbiology testing, it is the responsible thing to do to protect the customer. The FDA does say that a cosmetic should not be adulterated, which is interpreted as meaning it should not contain harmful microbes.
Shelf-life:
There should be an expiration date on lotions and creams. Typically, the expiration is a set time period from the date of manufacture, based on the ingredient with the shortest shelf-life. For your safety, discard the product if it is past the expiry date.
Lotions and creams have a high percentage of water. Bacteria love water based products and will grow and thrive in that environment. These products MUST have a preservative to be safe. Some handcrafters will tell you that they don't use a preservative because they don't want parabens in their product. Others will say they use a “natural preservative” like Grapeseed Extract or they use essential oils to preserve the product.
Here are the FACTS:
At this time, there are NO completely effective natural preservatives. There are a lot of new natural preservatives coming on the market, and some of them work well, but they still need the addition of a more traditional preservative to keep the product safe.
Grapeseed Extract, Vitamin E (Tocopherol) and ROE (Rosemary Oleoresin or Rosemary Oil Extract):
Open any older book on soap or cosmetic making and you will probably find these ingredients used as preservatives. They are not. They are anti-oxidants, not preservatives. Science has proven this to be true. They can be added to fresh oils to prolong their shelf-life, but they don't protect a product against bacteria, mold and yeast growth. While some essential oils may have anti-fungal or other properties, they are generally not strong enough to properly preserve a product containing water.
Preservatives:
Preservatives may be used in cosmetics to protect them against microbial growth, both to protect consumers and to maintain product integrity. There are essentially two groups of preservatives - paraben based and non-paraben based. When buying a handmade lotion, cream or other water-based product, read the label. You should see some of these preservatives listed in the ingredients. If you don't see a preservative listed, ask about it. If you are not sure what an ingredient is, ask the seller what it is and to tell you its purpose in the product. If the seller can't give you a definitive answer, don't buy it.
Parabens:
Parabens are the most widely used cosmetic preservatives and have been in use since the 1920's. The most common parabens used in cosmetic products are methylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben. Typically, more than one paraben is used in a product, to provide preservation against a broad range of microorganisms.
Cosmetics, as well as foods (such as blueberries) and drugs may contain parabens. Cosmetics that may contain parabens include makeup, moisturizers, hair care products, and shaving products, among others. Parabens are usually easy to identify by name, such as methylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, or benzylparaben.
There has been much negative publicity in recent years about parabens possibly causing breast cancer in women. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) reviewed the safety of methylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben in 1984 and concluded they were safe for use in cosmetic products at levels up to 25%. Typically parabens are used at levels ranging from 0.01 to 0.3% of the product.
On November 14, 2003, the CIR began the process to reopen the safety assessments of methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben in order to offer interested parties an opportunity to submit new data for consideration. In September 2005, the CIR decided to re-open the safety assessment for parabens to request exposure estimates and a risk assessment for cosmetic uses. In December 2005, after considering the margins of safety for exposure to women and infants, the Panel determined that there was no need to change its original conclusion that parabens are safe as used in cosmetics. (Here is a link to their findings.) Parabens are an effective antimicrobial against yeast and mold and the FDA has stated that at the present time, there is no reason for consumers to be concerned about the use of parabens in products.
The American Cancer Society states "So far, studies have not shown any direct link between parabens and any health problems, including breast cancer. What has been found is that there are many other compounds in the environment that also mimic naturally produced estrogen. The bottom line is that larger studies are needed to find out what effect, if any, parabens might have on breast cancer risk."
Non-Paraben preservatives:
The following is a list of the more common paraben-free preservatives. Often you will find them in combination with another preservative or with a paraben to create a broad-spectrum preservative - that is, a preservative that protects against bacteria, mold and yeast. Please note that this is not a comprehensive list.
Polyaminopropyl Biguanide
Propylene Glycol
Diazolidinyl Urea
Phenoxyethanol
Caprylyl Glycol
Sorbic Acid
Product Testing:
As makers, we are responsible to ensure that our products are safe for use. Don't be hesitant to ask a seller if their products have been tested in a lab. Testing lets the maker know that they are using a good manufacturing practice and that their preservative is working properly. These tests are relatively inexpensive and provide much peace of mind.
How is testing done? It can be as simple as sending a product sample off to a lab that offers microbiology testing of cosmetics and toiletries. Testing should include these two important assays:
Aerobic plate count (APC) – enumeration of bacteria present in a sample
Fungal/yeast count (F/YC) – enumeration of fungi (mold) or yeast present in a sample
The procedure will follow the guidelines of the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) for microbiological methods for cosmetics. While the FDA does not require any microbiology testing, it is the responsible thing to do to protect the customer. The FDA does say that a cosmetic should not be adulterated, which is interpreted as meaning it should not contain harmful microbes.
Shelf-life:
There should be an expiration date on lotions and creams. Typically, the expiration is a set time period from the date of manufacture, based on the ingredient with the shortest shelf-life. For your safety, discard the product if it is past the expiry date.