A family of crosslinked acrylic acid polymers used to build gel texture.
Sources: 1No alternative names recorded.
Not assessed
No pregnancy- or breastfeeding-specific assessment has been completed for this record. A cosmetic safety review is not a pregnancy rating.
Not assessed
Carbomer
What it does
Thickens and stabilizes formulas; it is not an exfoliating acid simply because acrylic acid is part of its chemical description.
Sources: 1Good for
- Gel texture and suspension stability
How to use it
Use within a finished product. Thickening agents have no separate application step in a routine.
Sources: 1Who should be careful
Assess irritation in the complete formula. Do not apply raw carbomer powder or neutralizers directly to skin.
Sources: 1Pairs well with
No supported pairings have been documented for this record.
Usage, safety and formulation details
Mechanism of action
A hydrated polymer network can expand and trap water after appropriate neutralization.
Sources: 1Potential adverse effects
A gel can irritate because of pH, actives or other ingredients; texture alone does not establish tolerance.
Sources: 1Formulation considerations
Grade, pH and electrolytes affect viscosity. A polymer family has no single molecular weight or one small-molecule bond diagram.
Sources: 1Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Not assessed
No pregnancy- or breastfeeding-specific assessment has been completed for this record. A cosmetic safety review is not a pregnancy rating.
Safety tags
- Fragrance allergen
- Not assessed
Not separately assessed in this draft.
- Essential oil
- Not assessed
Not separately assessed in this draft.
- Drying alcohol
- Not assessed
Not separately assessed in this draft.
- May irritate sensitive skin
- Not assessed
Not separately assessed in this draft.
What remains uncertain
- Exact concentration, final pH and the full composition of any unprovided finished product
- Exact material, composition and supplier-grade specifications
Clinical evidence and research
Clinical evidence
Evidence for its main benefitNot assessed
The cited references support identity, formulation role or safety context. No standalone clinical efficacy rating has been completed for the main benefit in this draft.
Sources: 1Regulation and ingredient label names
Regulatory information
No jurisdiction-specific assessment is recorded. An inventory listing is not blanket approval.
Names on ingredient lists
carbomer
Chemical identity and molecular structure
Chemical information
Chemical structure
No single structure to show yet
This ingredient represents a mixture, extract, polymer or ingredient family. A single molecular diagram may not describe its composition.
| Detail | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| material scope | Variable material or ingredient family: no single molecular formula, molecular weight or bond diagram describes every grade. | PubChem: Carbomer ingredient information |
Content updated 9 November 2026.
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