Teach Soap

I am reading "The Soapmaker's Companion" by Susan Miller Cavitch. My question is about grapefruit seed extract. She uses this in all of her recipes as a preservative because she superfats her recipes. Does anyone use this? What are your thoughts on using some kind of preservative in your recipes? As a new soaper I really appreciate being able to ask questions. Thank You.

Mary Lou

I am a new soaper too and I have her book and I am scared of superfatting as much as she does. I do not plan on doing that at all. hope someone more seasoned has a better explanation for or against.

I read somewhere that the grapefruit seed extract she was using actually had an added preservative, and that was what was preserving her soaps, not the extract itself. I don't know either way.

For me, I don't really see the point of using that much of a superfat. I've never tried it. 5% is plenty mild enough for me.

You do not need to preserve bar soap only liquid soap where water is added to thin the paste. It is that water that needs preserved since it will grow microbes. Bar soap does not have free standing water since it is a saponified mixture and the ph is high enough to make it an inhospitable environment for microbes anyway.
GSE is NOT a real preservative, and yes, much of it has a preservative added into it (but not every one, it is a brand thing). While on the subject, vitamin E and ROE are not preservatives either, they are antioxidants. Antioxidants do not preserve, they simply delay oxidation for a time but NOTHING can stop it entirely.
GSE has been tested to see about the claim as a natural preservative and has been found to not be effective except when a preservative was added to the GSE. So, even if you did need a preservative in bar soap, this would not be a good choice.

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Remember, it's not just that we weather the storm, but how we dance in the rain.

Tammy

Grapefruit Seed extract is not needed in cold process soap. Handmade soap (solid soap) does not need a preservative. Most grapefruit seed extracts on the market today are adulterated with trichlosan, which is a preservative. By itself it is NOT a preservative. That's why it works in some applications. I agree with LavenderLady.

PS. GSE would get eaten by the high pH of lye.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

I'm very new to CP making but not new to seeking a "natural" preservative. LavenderLady and Soapbuddy are EXACTLY correct. Just had to throw that in there

Jeannine~

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Jeannine

~the journey is everything~

I think there's a lot of confusion about grapefruit seed extract about its supposed preservative purposes. Different books state different point of view on the matter. My experience is still poor, but to me, I've come to the conclusion that there is not such thing as a natural preservative. There are instead options that can contrast the oxidation process that takes place when a preparation contains "free" water, as Rosmary eo, but I don't think you would need them when making solid soap

There is currently only one natural preservative that I know of that has been tested and shown to be effective. It is Leucidal® I cannot use because it contains salicylates, the properties of aspirin, and I am deathly allergic, so this is not an option for me. If one were to use it, it would definitely need to carry a warning label since many people are allergic to aspirin.
I believe the herbarie sells it if you want to read up on it.

While antioxidants can help delay oxidation that is not the same thing as being a preservative. A preservative inhibits the growth of fungus, yeast, mold and/or microbes.
ROE is rosemary oleoresin, not rosemary eo (essential oil). While some eo's do contain antibacterial, antifungal, and/or antimicrobial properties, it would take entirely too much of the eo to adequately preserve the product and to make it cost effective.

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Remember, it's not just that we weather the storm, but how we dance in the rain.

Tammy

Thanks Tammy, I'm going to look that up.

Jeannine~

After looking this up, the company now appears to be offering Leucidal® Liquid SF (Salicylate-Free)

http://www.formulatorsampleshop.com/category-s/2098.htm

http://www.hcbio.com.tw/pdf/AMS-Leucidal-Liquid-e.pdf

Tammy, if you try this, please report back

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Jeannine

~the journey is everything~

It does say it's effective for a pH range of 1-8 so it may not work for liquid soaps. Lotions, body butters, etc should be ok.

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Linda

I learn so much when I can't leave well enough alone!

Leucidal failed in lotion for me after 2 weeks.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

dang......well it's good to know that it's not everything it says it is.

Thanks!

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Jeannine

~the journey is everything~

Thank you for the info on the non-salicylate version, I was unaware they added one.
But Irena's comment makes me wonder anyway. I have spoken to others who said it worked for them, but each formulation will differ and therefore, results can also differ.
Thanks for the info Irena, what is the ph of your lotion?

ETA; Irena, what was the usage level that failed after two weeks for you?

I looked up the leucidal SF and read on it, it is not the same formula as the leucidal, no radish root at all, it is from the fermentation of a probiotic, lactobacillus. They even have another product, named leucidal PT, that looks like it has the same properties as the first leucidal, just made with the probiotic like the SF leucidal. Rather confusing if you ask me. But anyway, says it needs to be added at under 70C and works best for ph under 8 as well.

I doubt I will be trying it anytime soon, but if anyone else does, be sure to let us all know please.

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Remember, it's not just that we weather the storm, but how we dance in the rain.

Tammy

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

Thanks Irena. Did you use max amount recommended (2%) or less?

_________________
Remember, it's not just that we weather the storm, but how we dance in the rain.

Tammy