Xanthan Gum, Penetration Enhancers, and Skin Absorption
Question
What is the role of Xanthan Gum in a formulation, does it prevent active ingredients from penetrating the skin, and how does adding a penetration enhancer like Ethoxydiglycol affect skin absorption?
Answer
Using Xanthan Gum and Skin Penetration Enhancers
Based on your question and the information provided, here's an explanation:
Xanthan Gum primarily functions as a thickening agent to create a gel texture in cosmetic formulations. Its main property is texture creation, and it does not directly possess properties that significantly enhance the penetration of active ingredients into the skin.
Using only Xanthan Gum mixed with active ingredients and water does not mean that the active ingredients cannot penetrate the skin at all. The skin still allows some degree of penetration for various substances, especially those with small molecular size and good compatibility with certain layers of the skin.
However, our skin layers consist of both water and oil components. When a formula's texture is compatible with both, it helps improve the efficiency of penetration into the skin.
Ethoxydiglycol is a substance that acts as a solvent and a skin penetration enhancer. Adding Ethoxydiglycol to a formula where Xanthan Gum is used as a gelling agent helps the active ingredients in the water base become more compatible with the skin's lipid layers, thus significantly improving the efficiency of delivering substances into the skin. Additionally, Ethoxydiglycol can also improve the solubility of certain ingredients in the formula.
Therefore, while using Xanthan Gum alone in a formula does not completely prevent active ingredients from entering the skin, adding a penetration enhancer like Ethoxydiglycol will help increase the efficiency of delivering those substances into the skin.
The necessity of adding a penetration enhancer is not limited to eye serum formulas. It depends on the type of active ingredient used, the desired concentration to be delivered, and the expected results from the formulation. If you want the active ingredients to perform optimally, considering the use of a penetration enhancer is important.
Relevant products:
- Xanthan Gum (available in various types such as clear gel type, smooth texture, normal texture, easy to spread)
- Ethoxydiglycol
Updated Review: May 2026
This section was added after reviewing the original answer against current product availability and formulation knowledge at the stated point in time.
Update 2026-05-24
The original guidance is still broadly correct, with the following precision and safety notes:
- Xanthan Gum should be viewed mainly as a viscosity builder / gel former / stabilizer. It is not normally a penetration enhancer, and it does not completely block actives from entering the skin. Actual delivery depends on the active ingredient and the whole formula.
- Before adding a carrier, check that the active is properly dissolved or otherwise available in the finished gel. If an active is only poorly dispersed, hazy, or precipitated, Ethoxydiglycol may not reliably solve the delivery problem.
- Ethoxydiglycol can act as a solvent and carrier, and may improve delivery for some ingredients, especially when it improves solubility or partitioning into the skin. It should not be assumed to increase penetration for every active ingredient.
- Use Ethoxydiglycol cautiously in eye-area products, near mucosa, on compromised skin, or in formulas with strong acids, retinoids, high-dose exfoliants, fragrance allergens, or other potentially irritating/potent actives, because increased delivery can also increase irritation risk. Also confirm the current permitted usage level for the intended product type and market before use.
Selected references: SCCS Opinion on diethylene glycol monoethyl ether (DEGEE), SCCS/1316/10; Osborne & Musakhanian, AAPS PharmSciTech, 2018/2019; Sullivan et al., Food and Chemical Toxicology, 2014.
