Thickener for Suspending Glitter in Shower Gel
Question
I want to add glitter to shower gel. Which thickener should I use to help suspend it? I tried SugarThick and EasyThick at 1-2%, which thickened the gel, but over time some glitter settled at the bottom of the bottle.
Answer
Thickener Recommendations for Suspending Glitter in Shower Gel
You've observed that while SugarThick and EasyThick effectively thicken your shower gel, glitter still settles over time. This is because while these ingredients increase viscosity, they may not provide sufficient suspending power for heavier particles like glitter.
To effectively suspend glitter and prevent it from sinking, you need a thickener specifically designed with suspending capabilities. Based on your needs, we recommend considering the following:
ThickClean™ (Acrylates Copolymer): This ingredient is an Acrylates Crosspolymer type thickener specifically designed for shampoo, liquid soap, and cleansers. It has a cross-linkage mechanism that is excellent for suspending beads, pearls, sparkling beads, and glitter without precipitation. It allows you to capture these particles and distribute them evenly throughout the formula without needing excessive thickness.
ThixoGel™ (Thixotropic Gel Maker): This is a thixotropic gel maker that creates a gel texture that is thick when still but flows easily when dispensed. Its thixotropic nature helps stabilize formulas and is popular for suspending pigments and powders, which would also be effective for suspending glitter.
Both ThickClean™ and ThixoGel™ are formulated to provide better suspension of particles compared to general thickeners like SugarThick™ and EasyThick™. ThickClean™ is particularly noted for its ability to suspend glitter and beads in cleansing formulations.
