Grapefruit seed extract is no longer carried in our catalog. We keep this listing for informational purposes only!
INCI: Grapefruit (Citrus Grandis) Seed Extract
Grapefruit seed extract is no longer carried in our catalog.
Some people are using this material effectively for antimicrobial and antifungal compounds. If you choose to use this ingredient as a preservative to inhibit yeast growth, bacteria, or mold, we still recommend a preservative efficacy test to determine that your formulation is adequately preserved. Sometimes minor changes can alter a preservative's efficacy, including something as small as the choice of scenting material. When using this product as an antioxidant, we recommend 0.05 to 0.5 percent.
If using as a preservative, we suggest 0.5 to 1% with verification through testing.
We do not recommend this product in soapmaking. If you choose to use this in soap, against our advice, please be prepared for the Grapefruit Seed Extract to accelerate trace. We know some books recommend GSE in soaps, but we have a better route to prevent the Dreaded Orange Spots (DOS). If you have soaps that are high in oils like olive, rice bran, or sunflower, you may develop the oxidation spots called DOS. Palm oil is a big contributor to this problem. What can you do instead? Here is our list:
- Limit the soft oils like sunflower, rice bran, and olive.
- Leave less excess fat. If you regularly leave 6 to 10% excess fat in your soap recipes, use the lye amount in the 5% excess fat field instead. More excess fat means more fats to go rancid.
- If your recipe contains a lot of palm oil, reduce the amount. Try for 25 to 30% palm and no more.
- Make your soap at slightly higher temperatures. 110 to 120 F is better than 80 to 90 F.
- If you are using milk instead of water, go back to number 2 and adjust your lye amount.
We hope this helps you combat DOS and save your hard-earned cash.
