Cosmetic Preservative: Liquid Germall Plus

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Cosmetic Preservative: Liquid Germall Plus

PRESERVATIVE PROFILE

INCI

Propylene Glycol (and) Diazolidinyl Urea (and) Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate

Manufacturer

Ashland

Other Trade Names

N/A

Form

Liquid

Appearance

Clear viscous liquid

Odor

Odorless

pH

3 to 8

Solubility

Water soluble

Usage Rate

0.1% to 0.5%

Ideal Temperature to Add

Cool down phase under 50°C (122°F)

Broad Spectrum

Yes

ECOCERT Compliant

No

COSMOS Compliant

No

Applications

Lotion, cream, makeup product (except lip products), shampoo, conditioner, body wash, facial wash, wet wipes

Restrictions

US & Japan

  • Not permitted in aerosol products

EU (European Union)

  • Not permitted in oral hygiene and lip care products
  • Not permitted in leave-on products for children under the age of 3

FUNCTIONS AND FEATURES

Liquid Germall Plus is a popular cosmetic preservative often used by DIY cosmetic formulators. It is a broad-spectrum preservative so it protects your cosmetic products against bacteria, yeast and mold (both gram-positive and gram-negative). Its excellent antimicrobial function comes from the synergistic combination of diazolidinyl urea and iodopropynyl butylcarbamate (IPBC).

It is a paraben-free, phenoxyethanol-free and isothiazolinones-free preservative. However, Liquid Germall Plus is a formaldehyde releaser. We know that formaldehyde in high concentrations is known to be carcinogenic. It’s good to know though that the level of free formaldehyde in Liquid Germall Plus is in such low concentrations to be of a concern.

Take note that it is a synthetic preservative so it is not suitable for natural and organic cosmetics and personal care products. It is also not an ECOCERT and COSMOS compliant preservative.

APPLICATIONS

Liquid Germall Plus is one of the easiest to use cosmetic preservatives because it is in liquid form and is easily soluble in water. Due to its high solubility in water, it is suitable for aqueous formulations, both surfactant (e.g. shampoo, body wash, hand soap) and non-surfactant (e.g. toner, gel, facial mist). It can also be added to both oil-in-water and water-in-oil emulsions (e.g. lotion, cream, conditioner). However, it is not suitable for anhydrous (oil-based) formulations (e.g. cleansing balm, shower oil).

FORMULATION GUIDELINES

With a usage rate of 0.1% to 0.5%, Liquid Germall Plus is very effective at protecting cosmetic products from microbial contamination. Because it is heat sensitive, it must be added during cool down phase at temperature below 50°C (122°F).

Liquid Germall Plus has a pH compatibility in the range of 3 to 8. Most cosmetics and personal care products fall within that range so using Liquid Germall Plus won’t be a problem. Otherwise, you might need to adjust the pH of your cosmetic formulation to meet its pH requirement or choose a different preservative that will satisfy the pH requirement of your formula.

According to its manufacturer, Liquid Germall Plus is compatible with virtually all cosmetic ingredients. It also has no known inactivators so you don’t need to worry about adding a certain ingredient that could potentially inactivate or lower the efficacy of the preservative.

RESTRICTIONS

If you’re planning to sell your cosmetics and personal care products, then it is very important to follow the cosmetic regulations of your target countries.

US AND JAPAN
  • It is not permitted to be used in aerosol products (e.g. deodorants packaged in aerosol bottles).
EU (EUROPEAN UNION)
  • It is not permitted to be used in oral hygiene (e.g. mouthwash) and lip care products.
  • It is not permitted to be used in leave-on products for children under the age of 3.
In Europe, they have more restrictions on the usage of Liquid Germall Plus as cosmetic preservative due to one of its components - iodopropynyl butylcarbamate (IPBC). It is because IPBC is suspected of triggering thyroid disorders through the release of iodine and has the potential to be absorbed through the skin when used in leave-on products. Liquid Germall Plus contains 0.4% IPBC, so at a maximum usage rate of 0.5%, the final concentration of IPBC in the formula is only at 0.002%. It is quite too small to cause adverse effects on the thyroid.

WHERE TO BUY
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Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and purchase the products, I’ll receive some commission.

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