About Xanthan gum

In cosmetics xanthan gum is used to prepare water gels.  Is also used in oil-in-water emulsions to help stabilise the oil droplets against coalescence. It has some skin hydrating properties. Xanthan Gum is an excellent natural source thickener for lotions, creams, liquid soap, shower gels, body washes and shampoos.

One of the most remarkable properties of xanthan gum is its capability of producing a large increase in the viscosity of a liquid by adding a very small quantity of gum, on the order of one percent. In most products it is used at 0.5 to 1% and can be used in lower concentrations.

Unlike other gums, it is very stable under a wide range of temperatures and pH.

The viscosity of xanthan gum solutions decreases with higher shear rates; this is called pseudoplasticity. This means that a product subjected to shear, whether from mixing or shaking will thin out, but once the shear forces are removed, the product will thicken back up.

In pratice this means that Xanthan gum makes a product thick enough at rest in the bottle to keep the mixture fairly homogeneous, but the shear forces generated by shaking thins it so it can be easily poured. When it exits the bottle, the shear forces are removed and it thickens back up.  

Our Xanthan gum has been manufactured for improved dispersion in room temperature water. Once the xanthan gum is fully hydrated the resulting solution can be heated if necessary for the inclusion of other ingredients

Xanthan gum is a natural polysaccharide used as a food additive, and in cosmetics as a thickener or rheology modifier and emulsion stabilizer.

It is produced by a process involving fermentation of glucose or sucrose by the Xanthomonas campestris bacterium.  Our Xanthan has not been chemically modified, but has been especially manufactured to improve dispersion when added to water.