Thickeners for Formulations

To increase the viscosity or thickness of a formulation, you need to use thickening agents. The type of thickener you choose depends on the base of your formulation (water-based, oil-based, or surfactant-based like shampoo/liquid soap).

Here are some types of thickeners and examples:

Water-Based Thickeners

These are used to thicken formulations where water is the main component.

• ThixoGel™: Creates a thixotropic gel texture in water-based formulas, good for suspending particles.
• Pullulan (High Viscosity): A polysaccharide thickener that also provides a film-forming effect.
• Sepimax Zen: A highly tolerant thickener for the water phase, resistant to salt and pH variations.

Oil-Based Thickeners

These are used to thicken oil-based formulations.

• Oil Thick™ Thixotropic: An oil gelling agent that provides a thixotropic gel texture in oils.

Shampoo/Liquid Soap Thickeners

These are specifically designed to increase viscosity in surfactant-based systems.

• EasyThick ™ (viscous in shampoo/liquid soap): Provides easy thickening for shampoo and liquid soap.
• ThickClean™ (Acrylates Copolymer, eq. Carbopol SF-1): A gel-type thickener for shampoos, liquid soaps, and cleansers, helps suspend beads and pigments.

Choosing the right thickener depends on your specific formulation needs, including the desired texture, clarity, pH range, and compatibility with other ingredients.