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Thickeners in cosmetics have several important roles that can affect the stability and quality of the final product. There is no single universal thickener; the choice depends on the nature of the product and on the properties you want thickeners to give it. Let’s take a closer look at the best‑known and most commonly used thickeners in cosmetics.
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The main role that thickeners have in cosmetics is to increase viscosity, i.e. to thicken the product. This is particularly suitable when you are creating light creams, gels or emulsions. Thickeners provide the required viscosity without the need to use solid plant butters, which would make the product unnecessarily greasy. At the same time, thickeners allow you to prepare pleasantly light, water‑based serums only. It is precisely the thickeners that ensure these products are not too runny and that they apply well.
Another function that thickeners have in cosmetics is the stabilization of emulsions. In formulations they occur together with emulsifiers and support the stability of the final products. As mentioned above, thickeners make it possible to reduce the amount of solid fats (plant butters) in products that would otherwise be required to thicken the product. Therefore you will use thickeners especially in cosmetics for oily or acne‑prone skin.
In addition, thickeners enable you to change the texture of the final products. Some thickeners are known for creating very fine emulsions without lumps and with a texture that feels pleasant to the touch. Thickeners also make it possible to influence the spreadability of the product or the dispersion of exfoliating particles in the product.
Thickeners possess all the above‑mentioned properties because, when they come into contact with water or other water‑based ingredients, they begin to increase their volume and to build interlaced polymer structures at the molecular level. Natural thickeners are mainly represented by various types of polysaccharides that have structural units linked in different ways, enabling them to increase their volume.
This phenomenon is characteristic of natural thickeners, among which plant gums are predominant. In addition, there are also synthetic thickeners, which are, however, mostly used in industrial cosmetic production and may function on a different principle than natural thickeners.
It is currently common practice to use thickeners in food, not only in cosmetics. Even ordinary gelatin is classified among food thickeners and is commonly used in the confectionery and meat industries. Pectin‑based or agar‑based thickeners are widely used in the production of jams. Cellulose is one of the components of dietary fibre and is also used to thicken various kinds of foods. According to their origin, we can divide thickeners into several categories:
In this case, the thickeners have been produced using microorganisms that are characterized by the production (or overproduction) of a particular type of thickener. Thickeners obtained by fermentation include xanthan gum, sclerotium and gellans.
By extraction, thickeners are obtained from natural plant materials or algae. For this reason, these thickeners include primarily agars from marine algae, as well as pectins or cellulose from plant sources. Carrageenans and alginates also belong to this group.
These are thickeners obtained either from seeds, such as guar gum or locust bean gum, or from tubers, such as konjac powder.
When developing your own cosmetic recipes, you do not have to use thickeners only on their own. For individual products, you can create your own thickener blends with the desired viscosity and texture. Some thickeners, such as xanthan gum, provide products with high viscosity; however, such emulsions usually do not have the finest texture. Therefore, if you want to create creams that are fine and look and feel luxurious, it is good to use thickeners that provide such a benefit, such as konjac powder.
On the other hand, thickeners with a pleasant texture may not provide the desired viscosity, so you can try combining two or possibly three types of thickeners to achieve the desired effect in cosmetics.
When deciding which thickeners to use in your product, you have a wide selection available. Be inspired by some of the most commonly used thickeners, which you can read more about below.
Konjac belongs among plant‑based thickeners obtained from the tubers of Amorphophallus Konjac, which occurs in Asia. In addition to cosmetics, it is also used in the food industry. It contains glucomannans, which are capable of increasing their volume up to 10‑fold in water. An advantage is that it forms transparent gels without a sticky feel. Konjac is especially stable in acidic pH, and therefore it is one of the thickeners that you will use in products containing AHA acids. In addition, konjac powder is rich in vitamins A, C, D and the B group and also contains lipids, fatty acids and proteins.
Xanthan gum in cosmetics makes it possible to create a gel or thicken a product simply and easily. It is therefore among the most commonly used and most universal thickeners. It is obtained using biotechnology with the help of the bacterium Xanthomonas Campestris. Thanks to its favourable price, it is suitable for beginners to experiment with, but it definitely belongs in the basic kit of those who are more experienced in making homemade cosmetics.
In recipes it can be used on its own or together with another thickener. In products it always appears together with glycerine, which allows it to dissolve, and only then are other raw materials added to this mixture. Dissolving xanthan gum in glycerine allows you to prevent the formation of lumps caused by xanthan gum not hydrating evenly. At the same time, xanthan gum is one of the very stable thickeners that are effective already at low dosages (in shampoos or shower gels 1 % is usually sufficient). Its thickening effect can be increased by adding 0.5 % sodium chloride.
Hyaluronic acid is not classified among typical thickeners, because in cosmetics it is primarily used for its hydrating effects, which is why it is often applied to the face as a cream or serum. Nevertheless, it is capable of binding water very effectively and thus helps to thicken water‑based serums (i.e. without oils) even without the use of an additional thickener.
The thickening effects of hyaluronic acid depend primarily on its molecular weight. For hyaluronic acid, this is usually given in Daltons. The more Daltons a given acid has, the better it will thicken. For types of hyaluronic acid that thicken well, you may also encounter the term high‑molecular‑weight.
The disadvantage of hyaluronic acid is its higher price; on the other hand, if you use hyaluronic acid in your serum, you usually do not need to add other thickeners.
Similarly to konjac powder, guar or guaran gum belongs among thickeners obtained from plants; specifically, it comes from the beans of the plant Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba. The use of guar gum is versatile: in addition to being classified as a thickener, it helps stabilize and partially form emulsions. Guar gum is also used in the food industry because it thickens very well to a paste‑like consistency. This is also why you often find it in toothpastes. Its disadvantage is that it forms less transparent solutions and can cause a sticky feel on the skin.
For the use of guar gum in cosmetics, several rules apply, which distinguish it from other thickeners. Guar gum is characterized by a high pH (above 9), but it only thickens solutions effectively at pH 7, so products containing guar gum must be acidified, for example with a citric acid solution.
This exotic plant gum is obtained from the hardened resin of African Acacia trees, which is why its INCI name is also Acacia Senegal Gum. It is composed of polysaccharides and glycoproteins and is classified among thickeners that not only increase the viscosity of products but are also active ingredients. Gum arabic specifically serves as a humectant and partly as an emulsifier and stabilizer.
Carrageenans are thickeners that are very popular in vegan cosmetics as well as in food. They are a non‑animal alternative to gelatin. Carrageenan is obtained from the red seaweed Chondrus crispus, and in addition to thickening effects, it plays the role of a gelling agent, emulsifier and stabilizer in cosmetics. It helps to hydrate the skin, but especially the hair, which is why it is popular in shampoos and conditioners. In these products it is widely used also because it is well compatible with other surfactants and is capable of forming a foaming gel. At the same time, it is stable over a wide pH range.
In addition, carrageenan is popular for its content of minerals such as magnesium, calcium, zinc and manganese. It is soluble in hot water.
