Formula Review and Suggestions

Thank you for sharing your alcohol gel formula and questions. Let's review it:

Your formula includes:

• DEB 95% (Alcohol) 74%
• Propylene Glycol 1.2%
• Glycerin 0.5%
• Xanthan Gum 1%
• RO water 23%
• Tea Tree Oil 0.3%

Safety for Children and Skin Gentleness

The primary ingredient is alcohol at a high concentration (74%). While effective for sanitizing, high levels of alcohol can be drying and potentially irritating to the skin, especially for sensitive skin or children's skin. The inclusion of humectants like Propylene Glycol and Glycerin helps to mitigate some of this dryness by attracting and retaining moisture in the skin.

Tea Tree Oil, even at 0.3%, can sometimes cause irritation in sensitive individuals. For a formula specifically intended to be safe and gentle for children, you might consider reducing the alcohol concentration slightly (while keeping it effective for sanitizing, typically above 60%) and increasing the humectant levels, or incorporating additional skin-conditioning agents.

Need for Preservative for 2-Year Shelf Life

Yes, you absolutely need to add a broad-spectrum preservative if you aim for a 2-year shelf life. Although the high alcohol content provides significant antimicrobial activity, your formula contains water and natural ingredients like Xanthan Gum and Tea Tree Oil. These ingredients can support microbial growth over time, especially once the product is opened and exposed to the environment.

Xanthan Gum, in particular, is a natural powder that can easily become contaminated and requires a preservative in the final formula to prevent microbial spoilage and ensure the product remains safe and effective for its intended shelf life.

Need for Emulsifier/Solubilizer for Essential Oil

Tea Tree Oil is an oil-based ingredient, and water is the main solvent in your formula. Oils and water do not naturally mix. While the Tea Tree Oil you are using might be a water-soluble type (which is pre-dispersed), adding a solubilizer is still highly recommended.

A solubilizer helps to ensure that the Tea Tree Oil is evenly dispersed throughout the water/gel phase and remains stable over time, preventing separation or cloudiness. It acts as a binder between the oil and water phases. Products like Flora Solve™ Clear, Ultra Solve™, or Free Solve™ are examples of solubilizers suitable for incorporating essential oils into water-based or gel formulas.

In summary, while your base formula is a good starting point for an alcohol gel, adding a suitable broad-spectrum preservative and a solubilizer will be necessary to achieve a stable product with a 2-year shelf life and ensure the Tea Tree Oil is properly incorporated.