What IS breastmilk preservation powder? What is in it? What is it made of?
Breastmilk preservation powder is used to turn breastmilk into a powdered form safe for use in the resin crafting of breastmilk jewelry and keepsakes. Typically, a breastmilk preservation powder is made of several different ingredients meant to act together in varying ways to dry and preserve the breastmilk so that it won’t discolor or decompose once encased in resin. Timeless Treasure CompoundTM is made of eight (8) different non-toxic ingredients; other powders use varying amounts as well.
Why do I need to preserve the milk? Can’t I just mix in a drop or two as-is, or maybe dehydrate it?
The formulary PDF goes into great detail about the many sources of breakdown and how the TTCTM formula works to combat each of them, but as a general answer: any organic compound is guaranteed to decompose overtime if not preserved properly, and drying it isn’t enough.
I saw another artist say they used [insert method here] and it worked fine. Explanation?
I’ve heard a lot of anecdotal evidence about other methods too, so I looked into them as part of my research. But as I began to track and research each method I heard tale of over several months, I began to notice a trend. For nearly every artist that found success with one method, another artist reported failure using that same method. The only methods that reported overwhelming success were the “tried and true” preservation powders from top names in the industry. So that’s why I decided on developing a powdered formula made of several ingredients—everything else seemed far too unreliable or inconsistent to trust with liquid gold.
So why should I trust this fancy shmancy Timeless Treasure CompoundTM? How is TTCTM any different from other preservation powders?
This formula was developed by yours truly, a breastfeeding mom with a college background in organic chemistry, and is the result of months of scientific research and experiments. It aims to address all sources of deterioration and discoloration in a breastmilk resin keepsake at the molecular level in order to maintain its original integrity for as long as possible. And, not only is this formula backed by science, we're publishing my research in the formulary to back it up. In reality, it may be similar to other preservation powders, but it seems nobody publicly shares their formulary, so it’s impossible to know. TTCTM will be the first to list ingredients and amounts out in full, to my knowledge.
Wait, you’re selling the actual formula? Like, the recipe, not just the powder itself?
Yep. The formulary includes everything from compounding, to milk preservation, and even final resin keepsake creation. Every last ingredient, method, procedure, and step; and it even includes the research information that goes over why it’s all necessary and how it works. I do have listings for those interested in buying just the powder itself, but the idea is for any resin artist to be able to make the powder themselves, and even learn the fundamentals behind the biochemistry in order to develop their own formula.
WHY?
I want every resin artisan to know the “trade secrets” so that never will another drop of breastmilk be wasted, nor another mom heartbroken by improper preservation methods. My ultimate goal of this whole endeavor is to make breastmilk keepsakes more accessible to every mom who wants a treasured memorial of her breastfeeding journey.
What are you doing?! This is an extremely underhanded thing to do to other artists in the field of breastmilk keepsakes!
Listen, I hear you, because I’ve been there. I was a top artist in a different niche craft market from its early beginnings, and I watched it grow from its infancy. What started as a fairly exclusive craft where only a handful of "top" artists could create high quality pieces, eventually became a widespread field where all but an entry level artist can make something good. When that turning point started happening years ago, *I* was upset that people began releasing "the secrets of the craft", because *I* felt like *my* livelihood was in danger. But I learned in real time that when more artists enter the market for such a formerly exclusive high-demand product, the market differentiates. It’s no secret that when the "premium" product is the "ONLY" product, it becomes inaccessible to the grand majority of people. When the market differentiates, the demand for the “premium” product doesn't go away, it just means a “standard” version of the product becomes available to other consumers. Top artists still always have plenty of customers because of the trust in their name, reputation for quality, and their ever evolving creativity--which itself, in effect, is further spurred on by the growing competition. The only way a top artist's bottom line will be affected is if they let it, or if they were overcharging in the first place. Which, there's something to be said for art as a luxury item, the cost of expertise, supply and demand, etc; but when it comes to something so endearing and special, I don't believe profit should be the driving factor.
If it’s not about the money, then why don’t you give it away for free? (Can you send me a free copy?)
I don’t want free access to the formula because I want to discourage DIY moms on a budget from getting a copy and feeling like the added expense of proper PPE isn’t justified to work with resin “just this once.” I know because I WAS this person when I first started until I decided to explore resin crafting more. I want to encourage artists, not endanger moms. I don’t want the powder sold in DIY kits or by itself for the same reason. I know what I’m charging may not entirely prevent those with a rock-bottom mindset from declining to purchase a respirator. But even a small paywall increases the intrinsic value of the project, boosting the likelihood that someone will go ahead and purchase PPE due to the initial cost already invested.
Is it safe?
The powder itself is non-toxic and made from household ingredients, though it is not edible. The precautions necessary while creating the powder are similar to those taken when working with household cleaners, such as wearing gloves and preventing contact with skin or eyes. The larger safety concern is when working with resin in general, and does require full PPE including a complete respirator with organic cartridges.
Can I use this to make powdered breastmilk for recipes or drinking?
NO. Negative. BIG NOPE on that one. While all the ingredients are non-toxic, the resulting breastmilk powder is NOT AT ALL like formula, nor like a powdered milk that you can buy at the store. Breastmilk preserved with TTCTM is FOR USE IN RESIN ONLY. It is NOT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION. Do not add it to water and drink it, do not bake it into a cake, do not use it in your coffee, do not ingest it in ANY manner, and FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, DO NOT FEED IT TO A BABY.
Can I sell the resin creations I make using this formula?
Absolutely! PLEASE do, that’s pretty much the whole point of me selling this formula—so that more resin artisans will get into breastmilk keepsake creation making it more available to more moms.
Do I have to pay you royalties, etc. if I sell creations made using TTCTM?
Oh no, definitely not. I don’t ask for a penny beyond what you pay for the formulary!
Do I have to credit you if I use TTCTM in a resin piece and post it online?
Though not required, credit is super appreciated, mostly because I want as many people to know about TTCTM as possible so more resin artisans have the ability to create breastmilk keepsakes. If you craft a product with it, please feel free to use the hashtag #TimelessTreasureCompound or #RoyalElementsNC to spread the word!
Can I sell the powder I make with this formula?
No, I ask that you don’t. I don’t approve of people selling TTCTM after making it because I can’t guarantee that everyone who sells the powder has used the proper ratios, same ingredient quality, and has compounded the powder properly with the right procedures. I understand the possibility of it, but the logistics of doing so is beyond Royal Elements’ capacity at this time.
What if I make my own powder based off of yours? Can I do that?
Absolutely! In fact, I hope you create a powder that works better for cheaper! I want breastmilk keepsakes to be as cost effective and as enduring as possible. And of course if you create your own powder, based off of my research and formula or not, it’s yours to do with as you choose! No strings attached.
What do you mean by scientific research and experimentation?
When artist group searches and googling offered such conflicting results, I decided to delve deeper into the actual science behind preservation of biological substances. At the deepest point of my endeavor, I found myself pulling out my actual organic chemistry and biology textbooks, matching breastmilk components to reactants in different chemical reactions, figuring out an ingredient that could serve as the second reactant, working through the mechanisms, and repeating the process with the products of those reactions until I had more-or-less inert final products. I then put my results to the test using the scientific method. I compounded different formulas of varying amounts and concentrations, reacted them with breastmilk, put that in resin, and then exposed those resin pieces to intense UV light for 6 weeks straight. In the end, I chose the formula with the least observable yellowing when compared to freshly cast counterparts, and further fine-tuned the final formula for ease of use.
How much will the ingredients cost once I’ve purchased the formula?
Honestly, it kind of depends on what you’ve already got in your cabinets! Altogether, if you were to buy everything from scratch, you would be looking at about $70. But I can all but guarantee you've got at least $50 of it sitting around your house right now, like I did. Furthermore, that initial cost will help you make almost 30 units (5 batches) of the powder, and the first thing you'll run out of should only cost you $2-3 to make another 30 units. In fact, the most expensive components are used in such small amounts you'll only need to purchase them once for every 100+ batches you make. I promise, the peace of mind and quality preservation are worth it, even if you only ever make a few pieces for yourself.
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