Derived from guar gum, hydroxypropyl guar is a texturising agent. In other words, it contributes to the stabilisation of skin and hair care formulas. Find all the information you need to know about this ingredient, as well as the Typology product that contains it, in this article.
What is "Hydroxypropyl Guar" and what is its utility?
Summary
Published on February 5, 2024, by Stéphanie, PhD, Doctorate in Life and Health Sciences — 3 min of reading
An overview of Hydroxypropyl Guar.
Hydroxypropyl guar is a derivative of guar gum, a natural substance derived from the guar bean of the botanical name Cyamopsis tetragonoloba. This is a plant from the Fabaceae family that grows in West Africa. Extracted from the seeds, guar gum is primarily composed of a single type of polysaccharide: galactomannan.
Hydroxypropyl guar is derived from the reaction of propylene glycol with guar gum, which enhances its solubility and stability. Chemically, hydroxypropyl guar is a propylene glycol ether. It presents itself as a yellow powder that can be incorporated into various types of preparations as a texturising and binding agent. Unlike guar gum, which is also present in the food industry, the use of hydroxypropyl guar is limited to skin and hair care.
The role of hydroxypropyl guar in skincare: what are its functions?
In cosmetics, hydroxypropyl guar is primarily used for the following functions:
Emulsifier and emulsion stabiliser
Emulsions are preparations derived from a mixture of aqueous and oily phases. As a surfactant, hydroxypropyl guar facilitates the cohesion between these immiscible phases, with the aim of achieving a homogeneous consistency. It should be noted that the stability of an emulsion influences the shelf life of the skincare product.
Viscosity Control Agent
Thehydroxypropyl guar provides a gel-like texture to skin and hair care products.
Antistatic Agent
Thehydroxypropyl guar neutralises electrical charges, thereby reducing static electricity and stabilising the formulas.
Fixing Agent
It allows the cohesion of various cosmetic ingredients within a single formula.
Film-forming Agent
Hydroxypropyl guar forms a protective film on the surface of the skin, hair, and nails, shielding them from external aggressions. By retaining water within the cells, it also prevents dehydration. This ensures the skin maintains a plumped effect, whilst remaining soft and smooth. Furthermore, hydration provides shine to the hair and prevents brittle nails.
In which skincare products can one find hydroxypropyl guar?
Hydroxypropyl guar is a relatively unrestricted ingredient in formulation. It can be found in all galenic forms, including lotions, creams, gels, etc. It is particularly common in shampoos, conditioners and hair masks for all hair types. Textured makeup products such as foundations may also contain it.
This ingredient is found in our unifying cleansing gel Niacinamide 6% + Sage Hydrosol. This treatment helps toreduce redness associated with blemishes and even out the complexion while cleansing the skin of impurities.
