Homemade Herbal Shampoo Without Preservatives

Regarding your homemade herbal shampoo formulation using N70, sodium chloride, purified water, and herbal extracts (butterfly pea, kaffir lime, ginger) without adding preservatives, and setting a shelf life of 6 months:

While it's possible to make your own shampoo, omitting preservatives in a water-based formula containing natural extracts like butterfly pea, kaffir lime, and ginger poses a significant risk. Water and natural ingredients are ideal breeding grounds for microorganisms such as bacteria, yeast, and mold.

Even with a stated shelf life of 6 months, without a proper preservative system, microbial contamination can occur much sooner. This can lead to:

• Product spoilage (changes in color, odor, texture)
• Loss of product effectiveness
• Potential health risks, including skin irritation or infection, from using a contaminated product.

Sodium chloride helps with thickening but does not provide adequate preservation against the broad range of microbes that can grow in this type of formula. Purified water and the herbal extracts introduce water and nutrients that support microbial growth.

Therefore, setting a 6-month shelf life for this formulation without any preservative is generally not considered safe or realistic. To ensure the safety and stability of your homemade shampoo for that duration, it is highly recommended to include a suitable preservative. There are various options available, including those derived from natural sources, which can effectively protect your product from microbial contamination.

Examples of preservatives that could be considered include Mild Preserved Eco™, PE 1090 Preservative, or Coco-Preserve™ (a preservative from coconut extract). Choosing the right preservative and using it at the correct concentration is crucial for product safety and longevity.

For homemade products intended for personal use, especially those containing water and natural materials, adding a preservative is a necessary step to prevent spoilage and ensure safety over time.