Harvey M. Fishman, Consultant02.05.09
These days, marketing people are constantly looking for a natural antimicrobial that does not have to be listed as a preservative, so they can call the product “preservative free.” Wouldn’t it be convenient if this “non-preservative” was a fragrance and could be listed as such? There is such an ingredient manufactured by Sinerga, an Italian company.The ingredient is marketed under the name Naticide, which is distributed in the U.S. by Ingredimax, which is based in Washington, N.J.
Naticide is a vegetable-based fragrance (INCI: Fragrance). It is a clear liquid, colorless to amber yellow, with an almond and vanilla odor. Up to 0.6% is dispersible in water, with complete solubility in glycol and alcohol.It is not an eye or skin irritant or a skin sensitizer.
It showed good anti-microbial activity against the following organisms: two gram positive bacteria, six gram negative bacteria including E coli and Pseudomonas aeruginasae, two yeasts including Candida albicans, and three molds including Aspergilus niger and flavus.
The Sole Preservative
When formulating with Naticide, 0.3-1% is the suggested dosage, depending on the type of formula. It should be added with vigorous stirring.
In an emulsion, part is added to the water phase, and the rest to the oil phase. For example, if 1% Naticide is to be used, only a maximum of 0.6% can be dispersed in the water phase.The other 0.4% is added to the oil phase, or it may be solubilized before adding to the aqueous portion. The recommended pH range is between 4 and 9.
All of Sinerga’s starting formulas contain 1% Naticide. Also, Naticide is the sole preservative present in these examples.
INCI designations are not included in the chemical descriptions.
Aftersun Fluid Emulsion
Ingredients %Wt.
Phase A
Lauryl glucoside, polyglyceryl-2 5.00
dipolyhydroxy stearate
Avocado oil 2.50
Bisabolol 0.50
Tocophenyl acetate 2.00
Glycyrrhetic acid, phospholipids 0.50
Olive oil unsaponable 5.00
Octyl octanoate 5.00
Dimethicone 0.48
Antioxidant 0.02
Naticide 1.00
Panthenol/glycerin 4.00
Phase B
Water 65.72
Aloe vera gel 2.50
Red algae gel 5.00
Sodium carbomer 0.30
Procedure:
Weigh out phase A ingredients. In separate container for phase B, add the two gels to the water, then disperse the carbomer by homomixing. Add B to A by homomixing, and then by slow stirring.
Another Application
In this procedure, Sinerga chemists add the water phase, which is 74% of the formula, to the oil phase which is 26% of the total. Normally, it would be done the reverse way. One more illustration of its use as the sole preservative is the following.
Shampoo
Ingredients %Wt.
Sodium laureth sulfate 30.0
Decyl glucoside 3.0
Undecylenoyl soy polypeptide 5.0
Vegequat 2.5
Caprylyl/capryl glucoside 2.5
Naticide 1.0
Water q.s.
Citric acid 0.1
Cocoamidopropylbetaine 15.0
Procedure:
Add the first six ingredients to the tank with stirring. In a separate container, dissolve the citric acid in the water and add to batch. Add the last ingredient, mixing slowly, until system is homogeneous.
Again, I would question this procedure of not having the water in the batch tank. Naticide may be used as the only fragrance in the formula.It can also be blended with other perfumes if the combined odor is satisfactory.