Thickener Guar silk (cationic guar) 30 g

Cationic guar gum as a conditioning additive in hair cosmetics

Cationic guar gum is also called silk because of its property of providing softness and silkiness to the hair, conditioning the hair and skin, removing statistical charges and giving them shine. What are cationic additives and how to use them correctly in skin and hair cosmetics we discussed in the BLOG BEURRE article "Cationic Emulsifiers".

Characteristics of the component and specifics of use

INCI: Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride

CAS №: 65497-29-2

Class: cationic

pH (1% solution): 9.5 - 10.5

Dosage: 0.1 - 2%. The most common concentration is 0.5%.

Solubility and use: add to water and stir until a homogeneous gel is obtained. For faster gel formation it is recommended to acidify the water (to a pH below 5.0), then you will instantly get a viscous transparent gel of silk guar. 

Storage: in a cool dry place, out of direct sunlight.

Origin of the thickener

The herbaceous plant called guar has long been cultivated in India, and in recent years this tradition has been adopted in the USA. One of the most important properties of guar gum is its ability to influence the rheological properties of liquids, i.e. to cause thickening and gel formation. 

Due to this, special cosmetic thickeners are obtained from guar seeds with the help of modern technologies, in particular, cationic (silk) guar, which forms a gel base for many cosmetic compositions: shampoos, baslam, washing gels, hair styling products.

In addition, it disperses quickly and easily in water and is compatible with most surfactants. It should be noted that the quality of cosmetic guar differs significantly from food guar for the better, so the largest manufacturers of cosmetic products use cosmetic guar. 
 

Cosmetic properties of cationic guar

When creating cosmetics for hair, cationic guar provides a gorgeous conditioning effect, makes hair silky and leaves it soft and shiny after washing. Another beneficial property is the removal of static charge and easy combing. Like any polymer, silk guar creates a light film and thus has a moisturising and moisture-retaining effect. 
 

Advantages of the gelling agent in recipes

• created for cosmetic (not food) use
• natural hydrocolloid and excellent thickener
• highly viscous
• resistant to oils, fats and other natural solvents
• compound stabiliser
• a substance that forms a protective film
• works at low temperatures, the main thing is to lower the pH of water
• has high stability and viscosity
• has a low application concentration and as a consequence is very economical
• increases the substantivity of silicones
• increases foam stability in detergents.
   

What cosmetics are used in

• shampoos, conditioners, hair masks
• face masks, gels, lotions, creams
• cleansing gels for face and shower
• shaving products
• hair styling products.
   

Peculiarities of use and interaction with other substances

• Strongly acidic or alkaline media may reduce the viscosity of the solution.
• Addition of borax - leads to the formation of a gelatinous mass.
• Guar gum combines with starches, alginates, agar-agar, xanthan, other resins, etc.
• Dissolves in cold or hot water, forming a viscous paste - colloidal solution.

Handmade cosmetics recipes, formulas and reviews

It is very difficult to create your own correct recipes if you are new to cream maker. And we are ready to help you with this. Go to the YouTube channel Beurre Cosmetic Kitchen, where we have already developed many recipes for handmade cosmetics and share the technology for making cosmetics with our own hands. And also you can check Blog from Beurre, where we share useful information about creating the right natural cosmetics.