Rheology Modifiers & Thickeners

Rheology modifiers for personal care are ingredients that set a formula'snviscosity, yield value, and flow so it suspends, spreads, and stays stable. Theynfall into two working classes: synthetic crosslinked polyacrylates (carbomers and acrylatencrosspolymers) that build clarity and high yield value at low use levels, and natural ornsemisynthetic hydrocolloids (xanthan gum, hydroxyethylcellulose) that thicken across widernpH and electrolyte ranges. Most systems combine one of each.

Carbomers thicken efficiently u2014 typically 0.1 to 1% u2014 and give the sparkling gels used innserums, but they must be neutralized to roughly pH 5.5 to 7 to develop viscosity. The honestntrade-off: the clarity and yield value that make carbomers ideal for clear gels are the samenproperties that make them lose viscosity in high-electrolyte or low-pH systems. Where anformula carries surfactants or salts, specify a hydrophobically modified acrylatencrosspolymer or a hydrocolloid instead.

Xanthan gum and hydroxyethylcellulose are pH- and electrolyte-tolerant thickeners fornsurfactant systems and natural-positioned formulas; xanthan also suspends particles andnhelps stabilize emulsions. Behenyl alcohol is a fatty-alcohol consistency factor that buildsnbody in the oil phase of creams. Pair a primary polymeric thickener with a consistency factornrather than over-dosing a single ingredient.

• Clear aqueous gels and serums (carbomer, acrylate crosspolymer)
• Lotion and cream viscosity building with emulsion stabilization
• Surfactant-system thickening for shampoos and body washes (HEC, xanthan gum)
• Particle and pigment suspension in fluid formulas
• Natural-positioned thickening where a hydrocolloid is required

• Carbomer / polyacrylic acid u2014 PubChem
• Xanthan gum u2014 PubChem
• Hydroxyethylcellulose u2014 PubChem
• Behenyl alcohol u2014 PubChem