Classification and Applications of Common Thickeners in Cosmetics

2025-07-21

Common thickeners in cosmetics can be divided into the following major categories. Each category contains multiple specific ingredients, suitable for different formulations (aqueous, cream, oil-based, etc.):

I. Natural - Derived Thickeners

Made from extracts of natural plants, animals, or microorganisms. They are safe and gentle, suitable for products emphasizing the "natural" concept. Some also have additional values like moisturizing and skin - feel optimization.

Name	Source/Features	Common Uses
Xanthan Gum	A polysaccharide from microbial fermentation, with remarkable ion resistance and shear - thinning property. Can efficiently thicken at low addition levels.	Facial masks, serums, toners (stabilize the system and improve spreading smoothness); also used in shampoos (anti - static, improve combability)
Sclerotium Gum	A natural glucan, with high stability (temperature and acid - base resistance), good film - forming and moisturizing properties.	High - end serums, facial masks (form a thin moisturizing film, lock water without making skin stuffy); some oil - in - water creams (assist in stabilizing oil phase dispersion)
Sodium Alginate	Extracted from seaweed, gelates when encountering calcium/magnesium ions (can create "water - ball" or "jelly" textures).	Gel masks (form gel when encountering skin surface electrolytes, fit skin), body wash gels (create bouncy skin feel)
Gum Arabic	A plant gum (exudate from acacia trees), natural and gentle, with dual functions of emulsification and thickening.	Lotions (assist in emulsification, improve system stability), sprays (thicken to reduce nozzle clogging risk, evenly disperse actives)
Carrageenan	Extracted from seaweed, with strong ion resistance. Classified into κ, ι, λ types (κ/ι types form hard gels when encountering calcium, λ type has good water - retention).	Cleansing gels (λ type: transparent and refreshing, easy to rinse), toothpastes (κ type: thicken and assist in forming paste, resistant to abrasion); also used in hair masks (moisturize and form films)

II. Semi - synthetic Thickeners (Modified Natural Substances)

Based on natural polymers (cellulose, starch, etc.) and chemically modified to optimize solubility and stability, combining "natural base" and "precise functions".

Name	Features	Common Uses
Sodium Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC - Na)	High water solubility, stable at pH 5 - 9, general salt resistance (easy to delaminate in high - electrolyte systems).	Creams (oil - in - water type, assist in thickening and emulsification, improve cream fineness), lotions (stabilize water phase, prevent delamination); laundry detergents (thicken and assist in anti - redeposition)
Hydroxyethyl Cellulose (HEC)	Better ion resistance than CMC - Na, forms films and moisturizes, with good transparency.	Serums, gels (create clear and elastic gel textures, such as Aloe Vera Gel base); conditioners (form films to smooth hair, reduce frizz)
Hydroxypropyl Methyl Cellulose (HPMC)	Non - ionic, dispersible in cold water (no heating required), has thermal gel property (forms gel at high temperature, reversible at low temperature).	Shampoos, body washes (can be dissolved in cold water, simplify production; thermal gel property can be used in "temperature - changing" formulations); mask fabric adhesives (form films to fit skin)

III. Synthetic Polymer Thickeners

Polymers prepared by chemical synthesis, with high thickening efficiency and strong stability. Can precisely control skin feel (such as refreshing, heavy, silky), suitable for various formulation needs.

Name	Features	Common Uses
Carbomer	Cross - linked acrylic polymer, swells and thickens when neutralized by alkali (transparent gel), highly efficient at low addition levels. Classified into types like 940 (high viscosity, film - forming) and 980 (low viscosity, refreshing).	Serums (980: refreshing gel, carry actives), creams (940: build thick texture, lock water and moisturize); eye creams (precisely control viscosity, fit eye skin)
Sodium Polyacrylate	Water - soluble polymer, highly water - absorbent (can absorb hundreds of times its weight in water), thickens and assists in suspension (stabilize powders, pigments).	Body lotions (suspend pearlescent powders and pigments, disperse evenly), cleansing mousses (thicken foaming systems, stabilize foam); baby powders (as thickeners in liquid formulations, replace traditional talc systems)
Polyquaterniums (e.g., Polyquaternium - 7)	Cationic polymers, with thickening, anti - static, and film - forming properties.	Shampoos (anti - static, reduce frizz, improve combability), hair sprays (form films for styling, thicken and stabilize systems); no - rinse hand sanitizers (synergistic thickening and antibacterial, optimize skin feel)
Acrylates Copolymer	Such as sodium acrylate/acryloyldimethyl taurate copolymer, excellent ion resistance, can achieve "light and transparent thickening" (low viscosity and high elasticity, non - sticky).	High - end serums (create "water - feeling gel", carry oil - soluble actives, micro - emulsion dispersion), sunscreens (stabilize oil - phase sunscreens, refreshing without stuffiness)

IV. Inorganic Thickeners (Supplementary Classification, Suitable for Oil - based/Special Needs)

Made from inorganic minerals, thicken through physical dispersion/adsorption, suitable for oil - based systems, formulations with high powder content, or products requiring "matte/dry" skin feel.

Name	Features	Common Uses
Bentonite	Clay mineral, dispersible in both water and oil phases, thickens through platelet stacking, with thixotropy (thickens when stationary, thins when sheared).	Oil - based cleansing balms (thicken oil phase, give "soft and waxy" texture, easy to spread on skin), foundation creams (suspend powders, prevent sedimentation, improve coverage)
Fumed Silica	Nano - sized silica, forms a network to thicken through hydrogen bonding of surface hydroxyl groups, good transparency, can "dry thicken" (no pre - dissolution in water/oil required).	Transparent lip glosses (thicken oil phase without affecting transparency, create glass - lip texture), sunscreen oils (stabilize oil - phase sunscreens, disperse evenly without delamination); hair waxes (matte styling, thicken and give hair a fluffy feel)
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate	Layered silicate, forms a "card - house" structure to thicken when dispersed in water phase, excellent salt resistance, suitable for high - electrolyte formulations.	Sea salt body washes (stable thickening in high - salt systems, no delamination), exfoliating gels (suspend scrub particles, rub evenly)

V. Oil and Wax Thickeners (Suitable for Oil - based/Moisturizing Products)

Use the melting point/crystallinity of oils and waxes to thicken, and at the same time give products "moisturizing feel" and "barrier property", mainly for oil - based formulations or creams needing thick feel.

Name	Features	Common Uses
Beeswax	Natural wax (secretion of bees), contains esters and hydrocarbons, solid at room temperature, melts when heated to thicken oil phase, with emulsifying property.	Lip balms (build basic paste, moisturize and prevent chapping), cold creams (oil - in - water systems, classic moisturizing creams); hair oils (thicken and form films to protect hair, prevent frizz)
Carnauba Wax	Plant wax (from carnauba palm leaves), high melting point (80 - 86℃), high hardness, gives products "brittle - hard" texture.	High - end eyebrow pencils (thicken oils, make pencil core hardness moderate, easy to color without caking), lip glosses (assist in thickening oil phase, improve durability, create matte lip effect)
Stearic Acid/Stearyl Alcohol	Long - chain fatty acid/alcohol, thicken through "crystal network" in water - based systems (need to be neutralized with alkali to form soap for emulsification).	Creams (oil - in - water type, such as snow creams, form delicate pastes), lotions (assist in emulsification and thickening, improve stability); shaving creams (thicken foaming systems, smooth shaving)
Paraffin/Microcrystalline Wax	Petroleum - based wax, paraffin has low melting point (50 - 65℃), microcrystalline wax has dense structure (excellent weather resistance).	Lip balms (mixed with beeswax to adjust hardness, suitable for different seasons), shoe polishes (thicken oil phase, form shiny films); hair waxes (style and thicken, create matte/shine effects)

Application Logic Summary:

Aqueous solutions/serums: Priority selection of xanthan gum (ion - resistant), HEC (transparent film - forming), carbomer (refreshing thickening);
Creams (oil - in - water): Commonly use CMC - Na (assist in emulsification), stearic acid/stearyl alcohol (build paste), carbomer (neutralization thickening);
Oil - based products (cleansing oils, lip balms): Rely on beeswax, carnauba wax (thickening + film - forming), bentonite (thixotropic thickening);
Special needs (such as transparency, anti - static, high electrolyte): Match corresponding functional thickeners (such as carrageenan, polyquaterniums, magnesium aluminum silicate).

In actual formulations, thickeners are often used in combination (such as natural gums + synthetic gums to control skin feel, inorganic + organic to synergistically stabilize). The selection needs to comprehensively consider cost, process, and regulations (such as requirements for the proportion of natural sources).