Timi, hope you are feeling better. I have a question, if you have the time and energy. Tomorrow I have a zoom call with a lab about microbial testing for my kelp infused oil. Excited but nervous. I am hoping to get the nutrient value also tested…what botanicals came through in the oil infusion. From your expertise…what do I need to be asking. I am sure they will guide me through the process but wondering if there are basic questions I need to be asking? Red flags to look out for? This is all new to me. Cheers Cindy

Hi Timi, I had the call with the lab. It is actually a lab which is part of the college I took a seaweed course from last year. They are doing everything to support the students in the course. I will be working with a professor who both teaches and overseas the lab. He will be doing 2 different infusion samples for me from kelp I picked and dries in 2 different seasons to see what the difference is. He will do the infusion process in his lab using my kelp, oil and exact process I use right down to temperature and process. All the microbial testing as well as the plant components that transferred to the oil. This I will be very interested in. They are also doing my kelp extracted in water process too. I am hoping to have the complete overview of the kelp in both oil and water extract for safety and composition. They can’t do a COA in this lab but will send it to another lab that can give what I need for paperwork. I have one thing I need to work through…the carrier oil. I had been using rice bran oil. I love how it feels on the skin, fatty acid makeup and its high level of natural squalene. However I can’t purchase in Canada rice bran that is organic and cold pressed. It’s solvent extracted and RBDW and certainly not organic. You have a lovely source in Britain but too expensive. There is one place in the US but again, tariffs and exchange make it just too costly. What are your thoughts on high oleic safflower ( organic, expeller pressed) as a carrier for the kelp infusion? I need to make this decision very soon. Would you have another suggestion? Cheers Cindy

I am in Canada on the West Coast. I am also sort of #3. I sell to friends and a smallish local community. Have registered business but have not taken things any further yet.

Thanks! Nagging accepted!

Last month we had a call and I explained the kelp water I made to use as the water phase. I preserved it ...then added to the formulation. We spoke about adjusting the final amount of preservative. Question...can I use 2 different preservatives? I tried the formula in your new app but it didn't fit the criteria. I used Liquid germal plus of the kelp water( to be sure it was broad spectrum) then used Geogard ect for final cream. Is this ok? Also...a little unsure how to adjust the final amount of preservative. Hope this is clear😅. Thanks

Happy to help. Sounds interesting.