For one, alcohol acts as a preservative hindering the growth of microorganisms and mould. However now it has turned a pinkish colour. The alcohol comes in different proofs, and you need it to be a proof of at least 120(60% alcohol) and then you use that at 20-30% of the product to preserve. Most of these pretty Pinterest room spray recipes have absolutely no mention of preservatives, nor the fact that youll need to use them up within a week or so. I had heard anything made with water needed a preservative to prevent growth of bacteria but I had no idea how much, which type, etc. I am not the person to ask about Optiphen Plus or Polysorbate 20.

In a video you created on a foaming hand soap on YouTube using germ destroyer it said to use optiphen plus and in the above blog you stated it should not be used in foaming hand soap. Thank you for this!!! Hi, what is the ratio alcohol water you use?, I would love to try this recipes. Thank you for the info!

This preservative is great for surfactant-based products, such as shampoo. WowThis is super confusing. So many cleaners start with water, vinegar, and essential oils. They also give more detailed information about each preservative, so you can further assess what would work best for you. And, these room sprays are so refreshing. In fact, all these air freshener blends sound perfect for summer! Ultimately, what people choose to do at home is up to them. Thank you for this post! Simply give your spray a good shake before each use and youre good to go. Yes, you can use alcohol, but it needs to be a high-proof grain alcohol (such as Everclear). Thanks for the info! Learn how your comment data is processed. Ive been staying away from any DIYs that need a preservative. Amber, as aromatherapists, we are not formally trained in emulsifiers and preservatives so we cannot say for 100% certainty.

Its the perfect combination of invigorating grapefruit, sweet orange, zesty lemon, and a dash of lavender.

Please reach out to our aromatherapists at [emailprotected] if you need any more guidance . How Long would it last? 1/4 cup / 60 ml / 2 fl oz odourless high-proof alcohol (perfumers alcohol, grain alcohol, or vodka). Sometimes this is a bitter pill to swallow, especially for die-hard devotees of holistic living. DIYs are a fun, creative way to make use of your essential oil collection. The DIY air freshener spray is made with the following oils: Have a room spray formula you want to share? Hi Jasmine! With preservatives we do recommend customers do their own research to determine what is best for them and their families. Happy making! 1/4 cup / 60 ml / 2 fl oz distilled water (or boiled, cooled tap water), 30 to 45 drops essential oils (see ideas above), 1/2 tsp baking soda (bicarbonate of soda, optional), ecofriendly since no aerosols have to be used, customise the scent according to your preferences, enjoy the aromatherapy benefits of essential oils.

Unfortunately, we dont have a catalog as we do not sell these products. You can tint the mixture with water-soluble food color or soap dye. However, we cannot speak for the recipes coming from any other source that do not include preservatives. Thank you so much! Absolutely, Candace! Its simply how the information was compiled as the information was pulled from the usage guidelines supplied by the manufacturer. Im sharing 3 recipes that I constantly use to deodorise my home naturally. The alcohol, essential oils and glycerin (if using) to a spray bottle and shake. Very informative read .Thanks PT.

Hi Silvia! While it will extend the shelf-life of a product because it slows oxidation, it is not anti-bacterial or mold inhibiting in the same way a true preservative is. Thank you so much for commenting, Katie. Now I can make some DIY hand soap more confidently. Thank you! using essential oils in homemade cleaning products, According to formulation expert Ginger L. Moore, Effective use of alcohol for aromatic blending, 5 Reasons Why Your Natural Formulations Need Preserving, Essential Oils and Cancer The English Aromatherapist, Adding Essential Oils to Beauty Products The English Aromatherapist, Whatever you do, dont just mix essential oils with water and leave the bottle sitting in your bathroom for weeks and weeks. Do you still need a preservative if you have other carrier oils in a product along with water and/or aloe Vera? *Offer for new subscribers only. Sometimes its just easier to leave some things to the experts. Some may consider parabens unsafe, while others are completely fine with them. Germall seemed to be the best choice but Im not so sure about the con.. What exactly does formaldehyde releaser mean? Optiphen ND is a water-soluble, paraben, and formaldehyde-free preservative that offers broad-spectrum coverage. .then saw your video regarding preservatives, then also came across one of your recipes for a toner that called for an emulsifier but not a preservativer.Makes my head hurt..I will stick to non- water- based DIYs. Does aa product with only Witch Hazel and essential oils need a preservative?

A peptide Is isolated during the fermentation process and is what gives this preservative its anti-microbial effects. Wendee, contact our aromatherapists at [emailprotected] and they may be able to point you in the right direction. Im so glad you like the recipe. This also includes birds, reptiles and fish. What can I use for an oil product in which I have a non dry plant ? I had no idea I shouldnt use Polysorbate and Germaban together. EVERY essential oil Ihave used has made it mold faster.

Naissance sells the same product under the name Symbiosolv Clear Plus. Ive been making foaming hand soap for quite a while and while it never seemed to get yucky- who knows what was hiding in the water. Effect for PH 4-9. Hi, were Irena and Cyna. Hi Carol, you would need a preservative if adding additional contents into your witch hazel. This post is so helpful! Often they are made up of carrier oils and essential oils, possibly with some vitamin E oil as well. I am surprised to see that Optiphen Plus is not recommended for foaming hand soap when I found a PT foaming hand soap receipt that called for it. by Irena | 9 Jun 2020 | Essential Oils, Free Printables, Home Fragrance. Our knowledge is evolving all the time, and this is why its important that we never stop learning. To keep measurements easy, simply use the same amount of alcohol as you do water. We definitely saw a need to help clear up some misconceptions about preservatives and offer additional insight. Wow, the is so much to know about making oily products. Everyone has rubbing alcohol around. You will need to use an emulsifier as well. Thank you for the post. For this reason, it is not ideal for foaming hand soaps. Copyright 2022 Plant Therapy Essential Oils. I used 4 oz / 120 ml spray bottles. You also need to consider the shelf life of the essential oils your using. I added bicarbonate soda and it occasionally blocks the spray. But they are available on Amazon! But its now recognised that it is safer to dilute the essential oils in carrier oil before adding to the salts. Otherwise, use boiled, cooled tap water. I make small batches of lotion, because they mold. Ideally, you want to use an odourless, high-proof alcohol. Preservatives are so important for health and safety, but are incredibly confusing for at home DIY-ers like myself. foaming hand soap, I have no idea what the pH is so I would not know what to use. To answer your first question, preservatives are not single-ingredient products. I love that Plant Therapy has made consumer safety and education one of their top priorities. Thanks! So glad I saw this before I made some DIY Christmas gifts.

This has helped a ton and given me the confidence to move forward with ones that follow safe practices (which Im learning thanks to you all of you at Plant Therapy!). Thanks so much for visiting Country Hill Cottage were so happy youre here! I find this whole preservative bit intimidating. Product formulation is really a whole separate domain. I trained as a therapist, I did not train as a chemist. Hi Evelyn! They are made with essential oils and natural ingredients that eliminate odours and offer wonderful aromatherapy benefits completely without aerosols, heavy perfumes and synthetic chemicals! 2.

Thank you for this helpful article, which answers s lot of questions I had about preservatives. And lastly, alcohol helps the scent molecules to disperse in the air. Hi what size are the spray bottles you used here? You're welcome to link to Country Hill Cottage or use a single image with a brief description to link back to any post. Essential oils, alcohol, and water only mix to some extent. To preserve a water-based spray, use at least 120 proof grain alcohol for 20-30% of the product.

This is a lot of info! Thank you for taking the time to educate your customers!!

If it hasnt been properly formulated, it wont be effective and it might even be unsafe (This is particularly important if youre making water-based hand sanitisers or soaps, where the purpose of the product is to destroy bacteria!). Im starting to get braver on my DIY progects. Here are some of the best articles Ive found that tackle the subject of preservatives and water-based products: Thanks for the good advice! Or the Ethanol (Perfumer Alcohol) used is synthetic? 30 drops liquid emulsifier (e.g. Luckily, you can use a preservative to help any water-based stay safe and ready for use. Many essential oils are toxic to cats and can cause nausea in your furry friend. Have some feedback youd like to share? There are just 2 simple steps to make this recipe for essential oil room spray. This is a great blog post to help with DIY projects. But love that I can reference this article easily. Would the recipe have a longer shelf life if I add a preservative such as optiphen?

Older posts reference an old post thats no longer available on preservatives so this is what Ive been looking for, thanks!! Im waiting to find the suitable ingredients to venture more. Glycerin acts as a solubiliser and helps these ingredients to mix better.

The top off with distilled water and baking soda. In addition to this refreshing essential oil blend, dissolve 1 tbsp fine sea salt in the water. A more natural preservative option that is derived from radish fermented with Leuconostoc kimchii. Even more troublesome is a group of dispersants called phthalates, which are linked to hormonal issues, reproductive harm and developmental disorders, which is a particular risk for babies and young children. I wish there were more natural preservativeswhat do you know about Luecidal? This is certainly how I was taught, and youll spot this in one of my earliest YouTube videos. I hope this helps and let me know any other questions you have. Alcohol can be lethal to pets, so do not use the spray if pets are in the room. Your email address will not be published. You can read our cookie policy here.

Also, there are lots of water-based recipes, including ones with witch hazel and hydrosols, that do not call for a preservative but probably should if you plan on keeping the product for longer than a few weeks and out of the fridge. If youinsist on making your own preservative-free spray.

And, in the meantime, if you spy anyone selling preservative-free essential oil sprays, ask them where they studied product formulation and if they have product liability insurance! And thanks a lot for a list of resources, I followed a couple of links and can say that the entire preservatives topic is slightly less confusing for me now. What is the shelf life of a homemade room spray? Until recently, this was commonly thought to be acceptable. I used 1:1 water alcohol.

Jen, if you check the resources, there is a link for how to test the PH of a soap https://www.modernsoapmaking.com/how-to-ph-test-handmade-soap/ Remember,, Adding antibacterial essential oils to your room spray is.

Even though opening a window is the best way to shoo away unpleasant odours, a DIY air freshener spray is the perfect way to freshen any room and fragrance your home! Thank you so much for answering my preservative questions! Feel free to pin on Pinterest! Put simply,any product that contains water has the potential to grow mould. Whats not always understood is that water-based products will always need some kind of preservative if they are to last more than just a few days. It is the preservative I have been using in my foaming hand soap per your YouTube video, so if its not correct then which one and how much would I use following the recipe you have on YouTube. So, in other words, the alcohol has a percentage all of its own. Shake the bottle to combine both phases. If you are referring to grapefruit seed extract, yes it can be used a preservative, but its effectiveness is controversial. Most of the DIY recipes on the blog dont call for a preservative. Thank you so much for this information! Im sorry you had an issue. Vodka shouldnt have a smell and the alcohol should evaporate quickly after spritzing. Hi Keisha! Does that need a preservative?

Some lotions call for aloe jelly.. Kendra, aloe vera can come in several different forms, including as a jelly, a gel, and a juice. However, you can also try making the spray with Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside and see if it works better. Youll have to check out the ingredients of your aloe product to determine whether or not a preservative is needed . Thank you for the useful information. Wow this is confusing yet good information. Thank you so much, Sheila! Can you please advice what preservative I can use for my bug repellent. Preservatives are necessary for water-based products to prevent the growth of mold, bacteria, and fungus. I too wish there were more natural options.. but I suppose a preservative isnt all that natural in and of itself. We know there has been some confusion, and while we are not preservative experts, we thought this post could help give more info for our customers to research further , Thank you! What about Which Hazel as a preservative? There are many different kinds of DIYs with essential oils that may need a preservative.

But to ensure the best shelf life, fill the essential oil room spray into tinted glass spritz bottles, such as these amber, cobalt blue, ultraviolet spritz bottles. Euxyl PE 9010 is a broad-spectrum, that is great for water-based products that are particularly hard to preserve, such as scrubs that are very low in glycerin, and facial masks that are high in clay. makeup fashionlady glycerin Thanks for all the information! So much to learn. I find this floral scent comforting and relaxing, and often use it at night. I was wanting to learn more about preservatives. Im very new to EOs and just started to make DIYs.

However, if I were to create room spray for commercial use, Id consider adding a solublizer or emulsifying agent. From my research, most commercially available GSE contains benzethonium chloride or benzalkonium chloride which are only present because of the way it is processed and not very natural. Neither of these are present in truly natural GSE. The basic formula would be 75% water, 25% alcohol. I am planning to make linen spray and pillow spray which the ingredients are only water and essential oils, I do not wish to use alcohol. lol, Kendra, we are sorry for the confusion. My guess is that one of the essential oils is responsible. You can learn more about emulsifiers here. I was hoping to avoid getting a permit. Finally! Maybe this will help control my shopping habits here on PT. For DIYs like foaming hand soap, they can often have a PH of 8+. If so, what would be the ratio?

body sugar I was having a hard time understanding preservatives. This means that we may earn a small commission from some of the links in our posts. This is just another example of why I love Plant Therapy so much! Thank you for this very informative post! If the basic formula is 25% pure alcohol, I dont see how the 120 proof alcohol would be 25% pure alcohol of the overall formula. Im aware this is a subject that gets a LOT of attention, and its certainly been extensively discussed online.

And how much per drops of EO added. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for this article!!!! Since witch hazel contains only a little alcohol, Im not sure how well itll work. Required fields are marked *. Ive been waiting for a blog like this! Good question! Oh thank you for revisiting preservatives and posting this information!! 30 to 45 drops essential oils

Hello if Im selling these and I wanted to add colors could I use meca coloring or some type of coloring agent?! Vegetable glycerin functions as a solubiliser, meaning the ingredient helps the essential oils and water mix better. Happy making! If I want to create a room spray that will last, should I follow the directions for the linen spray?

I hope this helps! This helps clear up a lot of confusion. As far as safety is concerned, this will be a matter of opinion. Could it because they are not brand spectrum? Alcohol serves 3 purposes in homemade room spray. Yes, its possible to make room spray without alcohol but you must add an emulsifier (so the water and essential oils mix) and you also must use a broad-spectrum preservative (otherwise the water can spoil and be contaminated with mold or bacteria). If I mix EOs with a carrier oil and then add to a made-from-scratch lotion, do I need a preservative? Hi thank you for the great info!

Hi Beth, if you use straight rubbing alcohol, it can be used as an emulsifier. Great resource all in one spot.

Your email address will not be published. All Rights Reserved. I have been considering making DIY linen spray as gifts for Christmas. I hope this helps and we apologize for any confusion this has caused , This confuses me a lot.

Essential oils refresh the air, and provide natural fragrance and aromatherapy benefits. Thank you for this. Please feel free to reach out to our team of aromatherapists at [emailprotected] to help clarify this issue, or ask our aromatherapists on SEOR to clear this up. I used sweet orange and lemon essential oils. Thank you for sharing such a big help.

Another great natural perservative is Naticide this is uses alot in Australia and New Zealand cause its natural. Thank you in advance. If making this recipe to sell can you substitute essential oil for fragrance oil? Quina, does the aftershave and beard oil recipe you are using include water? I am assuming number 1 is the safest? 20% of your total recipe needs to be a high proof alcohol. Ive used Germall Plus, and it works great for lotion and is very forgiving regarding the starting PH of your product. Thank PT for my preservatives foundation. I am new to DIY and preservatives can be a bit overwhelming. Add the water and oil mixtures into your spray bottle. Otherwise it wouldve been, Merry Christmas! Thank you for the helpful information or preservatives. Bar Soap: Bar soap does not need a preservative because the pH levels are too high to allow the growth of bacteria, effective against bacteria, mold, and yeast, Hard on emulsions so take care when using in lotions and body creams, Accepted by ECOcert as an ingredient in certified organic cosmetic, Not very effective against Yeast and Mold, needs a booster like Potassium sorbate at 0.10%. Hi Megan! I have just tried the formula but it became milky and white colored ;(. Thank you for compiling this information. Amanda, you will want to use Optiphen Plus as your preservative, but remember that you will need an emulsifier as well so that the essential oil blend is able to be diluted . Also says you need it for water based recipes but then there are water based and witch hazel recipes that dont call for one!! I am wondering why Potassium Sorbet and Sodium Benzoate are not recommended in your list?

Thanks in advance <3. There is no fixed answer to this. How much preservative would you need for a 16 oz bottle of hand soap? I hope to learn a lot more from PT before I feel confident that I can do it. That would be about 3.2 ounces of alcohol. These simple essential oil recipes will teach you exactly what you need to make your non-toxic and natural room spray at home! As I explained in this post, its not always straight-forward to replicate commercial products in your own kitchen. I am not familiar with that product. 2014-2018 Country Hill Cottage Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Thank you for all you do. Compatible with most ingredients. Baking soda is an excellent odour absorber and can neutralise less than pleasant smells. Poly Suga Mulse D9 OR Polysorbate 20) Powered by Wordpress. Hi Laura! I just started making my own hand soap and face wash, and knew to add preservatives due to your informational article. For a room spray, formulation expert Ginger L. Moore recommends a formula of 25% high-proof alcohol to 75% distilled water.

Great information! What we DO know is that bacteria can start to grow very quickly in a water-based spray as soon as 2 or 3 days! 1st Floor Omega Building, Riverside West, London SW18 1AZ, UK | Reg. A lot to take in, but great! So glad a ran across this blog as I had no idea I needed to use a preservative. Most recipes do not tell you to add preservative nor how much.

If Im making a bug spray with only avocado oil, witch hazel, and Nature Shield EO, do I need a preservative??

That is wonderful to hear, April! If your spray performs well then theres no need to include another solubilizer. Thank you for this incredible post! Here are some examples: These do not need a preservative since they do not contain water. I used this and add a bit color ( natural pigment epoxi for dye soap) the result was so perfect. I just want to make a hair spray with water and Get Em Gone, which preservatives would you recommend? Homemade lemon air freshener will keep your home odour-free and smelling fresh. And what brand of essential oils are you using? If you have a specific questionregardingformulation advice, may I point you in the direction of The Aromapologist who provides a consulting service on Fiverr.com. Thanks for this succinct summary! What can I use to maintain the product is still free from chemicals? Robert Tisserand has an excellent article, helpful for learning the specifics of using alcohol for aromatic blending. They dont last forever, but they wont spoil as quickly as water-based products. I had been making Pinterest recipes that never mentioned a preservative. The shelf life of a product is not purely determined by its ingredients it is also affected by its storage and the sterility of the equipment and containers. The essential oil blend in this DIY room spray looks like this: The tranquil fragrance with hints of cedar, eucalyptus and sea salt evokes memories of summer days spent seaside. No, we dont sell preservatives. So, if you dont feel confident exploring preservatives, stick to what you DO know. Im wondering why more natural preservatives, like GSE or vitamin E, were not mentioned here. Please dont hesitate to contact our awesome Aromatherapists at [emailprotected] if you need some more information! Maybe someone can correct me if Im wrong? It says you need it in lotion but lotion can be made of all diff things. Euxyl K 903 is a complete preservative system with a broad, balanced spectrum of efficacy against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, yeast and mold. Its so confusing sometimes! (Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbic Acid). Great information!

There are a few preservatives that are broad-spectrum, meaning they protect against mold, bacteria, and fungi, and are great for most uses. AHH! Excellent info! A friend gifted me the frosted glass bottles you see in the pictures, and I couldnt resist using them for this project. If you enjoyed this post, pleaseshareit using the social media buttons you see next to the post.

We recommend doing your own research and making a decision you feel is right for you and your family. Vitamin E is an antioxidant. or can someone lead me to a place on how to calculate this? Many thanks! I was searching the comments for this exact statement before I said the same thing! Wow!

Just wondering can you use witch hazel instead of alcohol? Im in the UK if helpsthanks a billion . We are working hard to ensure all of our recipes are up to par, though many of them have been written years ago before we realized this issue. Oh wow! However, current knowledge suggeststhis is actually not sufficient to disperse the essential oils in the water. Essential oils arent just for diffusing! Here are some of the most common projects where youll want to consider adding a preservative: There are, of course, DIYs that wont need a preservative. If you can still smell the alcohol, try to use another brand of vodka if possible. When I was first introduced to EOs, I was excited to make my own facial wash, toners. Also a 2.7 oz bottle of linen spray? Some of the compounds (benzene, formaldehyde, butane) found in synthetic air fresheners can cause headaches, migraines, nausea, rashes, and may aggravate asthma and allergic reactions. I am wondering the amount to add to a recipe. I would ask the supplier to be certain. Keep the free essential oil recipe for up to 6 months.

24 drops Geogard ECT (OR 24 drops Optiphen Plus OR 15 drops Liquid Germall Plus) = preservative. I made my first room sprays today following this recipe. It is a rarity to find a company that goes above and beyond for their customers the way that this one does! I agree with Tiffany that this is why I stay away from formulations that use water. Since they are used in the bath, they come in contact with water and should be protected. Citrus air freshener degrades faster and will last 3 to 4 months. Your natural deodorizer will be ready as fast as you can gather your materials. First, mix the emulsifier and essential oils until the oils are dissolved in the emulsifier. Other preservatives have limitations and need to be used together with additional preservatives to achieve full protection. Hi Noor! This is a fantastic article that goes into detail about how to use alcohol in aromatic blending. Thank you! If I am making room sprays to sell, is there another option besides alcohol to use? You can find the measurements + instructions here. The links were so helpful too! Do I need to use another vodka or stronger essential oils? Thank you for all of this info, I will start studying up so I can make sure my projects are safe to use! I love my diy carrier rollers and linen spray!! Thank you for all of the information. All of the DIY recipes you see online never mention preservatives.