thickener

Carbomer

Generally safe·Strong evidence

Carbomer is a synthetic polymer used purely to thicken and stabilize gels and lotions, with negligible skin penetration due to its large molecular size. Safety reviews have found low toxicity and minimal irritation potential even in leave-on use.

Products with Carbomer

100
COSRX
Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence
100
CeraVe
PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion
100
Drunk Elephant
Protini Polypeptide Cream
100
CeraVe
Baby Moisturizing Lotion
96
Byoma
Moisturizing Gel Cream
91
e.l.f.
Holy Hydration! Face Cream
88
Johnson's
Baby Lotion (Original)
87
St. Ives
St. Ives Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub

References

CIR: Safety Assessment of Carbomers as Used in Cosmetics ↗

Cosmetic information for general education, not medical advice. A verdict is a reading of the published evidence, never a guarantee for your skin: any ingredient can irritate someone, so patch test new products and see a professional if you react. Concern is graded on cited evidence, never on hazard-score lists. See how we score.