Carbomers are synthetic ingredients that many companies use in products due to their suspending, emulsifying, and thickening properties.

Carbomer is the trade name for polyacrylic acid. Companies use it extensively in formulations across multiple industries, including cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and personal care.

Carbomers are synthetic, crosslinked polymers of acrylic acid with a high molecular weight. Dried carbomers are lightweight, white powders. However, people frequently use them as gels or liquids.

A person may find them in a vast array of products, including:

shampoos

lotions

nail polishes

cuticle removers

face masks

styling gel

sunscreen

lipstick

acne treatment gels

moisturizers

detergent

floor cleaners

surface cleaning liquids

paints

waterproof and oil-proof coatings

printing inks

What uses do carbomers have?

Manufacturers across industries use carbomers extensively because of their versatility.

Companies primarily use carbomers to:

Thicken formulations: Many manufacturers use carbomers as thickening agents to make formulations more viscous. This helps control the consistency, texture, and flow of solutions that contain ingredients with different solubility levels.

Improve texture: Carbomers can also absorb and retain water, swelling up to 1,000 timesTrusted Source their original size. This may help improve the appearance of formulations, giving them a clear, gel-like consistency. This property is responsible for providing some gels, creams, and lotions with their smooth, silky texture.

Stabilize formulations: Carbomers help suspend and distribute insoluble solids — which cannot dissolve — into liquid. They also prevent the oil and liquid parts of a formulation from separating. This property helps stabilize products, so they achieve a longer shelf life.

The pharmaceutical industry also uses carbomers in various ways:

as a bioavailability enhancer, controlling the release of drugs so the body can easily absorb them

as a bioadhesive to make the formulations stick to the skin and mucous membranes

to create a wide range of viscosity and flow in gels

to permanently suspend certain ingredients in oral suspensions and topical medications

People may find carbomers in products for body parts, including the eyes, mouth, intestines, nose, vagina, and rectum. Pharmaceutical companies may use carbomers in products such as tablets, transdermal patches, and creams.