More on Natural Preservatives (Skin care information)

I previously blogged about natural preservatives but I realized I didn't list how much of each preservative to use. Here are some general guidelines.

Grapefruit seed oil (do NOT confuse this with the essential oil): I usually use 5-10 drops to preserve my creams (I make about 8 oz or less of cream at a time, add more if making a larger amount).

Vitamin E oil: It depends on the concentration of the vitamin E. I usually use just eyeball it and use several drops--maybe 1/2 teaspoon or a little less.

Essential oils: 1/2-2% concetrations, that's 3-12 drops per ounce. It's better to use less than more.

Herbal extract, aloe, hydrosol, apple cider or wine vinegar: Replace all or part of the water with these liquids. If you are using vinegar, be sure to dilute with another liquid as it is acidic, and many people are sensitive to it full strength.

Many people may be concerned that products preserved with natural preservatives will not work. Though it is true that natural preservatives will not preserve a product as long as a chemical one (2-3 years), from my experience, they work quite well. I've found that a combination of natural preservatives will preserve a product for many months (I only make small amounts of products so tend to use them up within a month or two). I've used some store brought products preserved with similar natural preservatives, and they have kept up to a year. The trick is to use a combination of natural preservatives to effectively preserve your products. An added bonus is that many of the natural ones also help improve the appearence of the skin and hair!