Ingredients that Thin Pro Polymer Gel

Certain types of ingredients can interfere with the gel structure created by Pro Polymer™ (Acrylate Crosspolymer), causing the gel to thin or become less viscous. Generally, ingredients that weaken the gel tend to be:

• Acidic Ingredients: Pro Polymer™ works best in neutral to slightly alkaline environments. Adding ingredients with a low pH (acidic) can cause the gel structure to break down. Examples include Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid), some AHAs/BHAs, or certain highly acidic extracts.
• High Salt or Electrolyte Content: Mineral salts can interfere with the polymer's network, reducing viscosity. Examples include Sodium Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate, or some extracts with high salt content.
• Certain Solvents or Other Ingredients at High Concentrations: Some ingredients, like high concentrations of Ethanol, or other ingredients incompatible with this type of polymer, can also thin the gel.

How to identify such ingredients:

• Check the ingredient name: Look for ingredients with "Acid" in the name or names of various salts (e.g., Sodium, Potassium, Magnesium, Chloride, Sulfate).
• Check the ingredient's pH: If the pH of the ingredient is known, ingredients with a low pH (below 5-6) are likely to thin the gel.
• Test: The best method is to test by adding a small amount of the suspected ingredient to a base gel made with Pro Polymer™ and observe the effect on viscosity.

Therefore, if your gel thins after adding certain ingredients, it might be due to these properties. Increasing the concentration of Pro Polymer™ might help restore viscosity, but be aware that the ingredient might have compatibility limits with Pro Polymer™.