This is interesting but to send it out for a real test for mold & bacteria would make it much more scientific, IMHO. I know there is a cost involved but visual & scent observation don't tell the whole story and this may teach people that if something smells OK, it is OK. (and it is not always!)
Said with respect & thanks for all you put into this site.
Hi Soapnerds - Thanks for your comment. I totally understand your point. Just FIY: I have a colleague who has done the same with a similar product and their test has been ongoing a full year with no problems. :)
Anonymous said…
I purchased a solid conditioner that turned moldy after 1 month of being used... that really put me off from buying and making unpreserved products.
Hi Anon - thanks for sharing this. I can’t help wondering about what the formula might have been, but I absolutely understand how experiencing something like that could make you cautious.
Anonymous said…
As a microbiologist working in cosmetic preservative efficacy testing, I can tell you that your product can be crawling in bacteria and yeast and the product still look and smell exactly the same. Only looking for a mould is not a good indicator of product safety - especially when a product can also be supporting mould spores that you cannot see. In fact, there have only been two instances in the past few years (out of all the contaminated samples I see every week) where I have seen a product growing actual visible mould hyphae.
Comments
Said with respect & thanks for all you put into this site.