500 g Crosspolymer Thickener

Crosspolymer is an advanced thickener of the carbomer family, designed for high viscosity and clarity without stringiness or sticky after feeling.

This polymeric thickener is self-wetting which means it is less likely to become lumpy on immersion into water than the Carbomer 980.    In addition it has a higher salt tolerance making it suitable for use in surfactant based formulations (where the total surfactant level doesn't exceed 12%).   With regards to the salt tolerance it is worth keeping in mind that while this thickener does have a higher tolerance than other carbomer types it is not a good choice for formulations that contain a high level of salt - over 0.5%. 

pH wise this thickener is stable across a broad range from pH 4-12.  At pH 4 it is best to use 1% of of thickener or more to achieve a workable viscosity.  At pH of 3 viscosity will crash and the product will become watery. Because of this if you are planning to use this thickener in an acidic formulation it is a good idea to adjust the pH of the acid prior to adding it to the gel to avoid shocking the gel base. 

Directions for use:  Add powder into your water phase (either pre-heated or cold) and mix using an overhead propellar mixer or homogeniser. A homogeniser can speed up viscosity building but take care not to introduce air bubbles into the mixture as they will be difficult to remove once the gel is formed.  The initial gel pH is quite low (around 3.5) and you will need to increase the viscosity with Sodium Hydroxide Solution (20% solution is easiest to work with) to 4 or above to cross-link the polymer and increase thickening. As the pH increases so does the viscosity up to a maximum of around pH 7 after which it decreases very slightly. 

pH Stability:  4-11.

Use Level: 0.1-1.5%

Formula Example:   Bamboo Facial Scrub

Step 1 )    Demineralised Water           80%

               Crosspolymer Thickener       1%

Step 2)     Sodium Hydroxide               a few drops to reach pH 5.5-7

Step 3)   Surfactant AN Blend           15%

              Your Choice of Exfoliant       3%

              Plantaserv E Preservative     1%

Measure out the water into a suitable container and sprinkle the crosspolymer into the water.   Use a high speed mixer to hydrate the crosspolymer, it will swell and look slightly opaque.

Once all of the powder is mixed in use a little 20% sodium hydroxide solution to bring the pH to 5.5-7, a few drops per 100ml is usually enough.  The gel will clear and become very thick.

To the thickened gel add the Surfactant AN blend with gentle mixing. Then add the bamboo exfoliant and preservative and mix gently until well combined.

Use daily as a gentle foaming and exfoliating face wash.  You can add colour or fragrance as desired.

Surfactant AN Base