Carbomer

Carbomer is a cosmetic ingredient used as an emulsion stabilising, gel forming agent. It appears in about 8% of cosmetic products in our 90,000+ product dataset. It is regulated in the EU (listed in a Cosmetics Regulation annex). PubMed carries 303 studies of its skin or topical use.

INCI nameCARBOMER
FunctionEMULSION STABILISING, GEL FORMING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING
CAS number9007-20-9 / 9003-01-4 / 76050-42-5 / 9062-04-8 / 9007-16-3 / 9007-17-4
EC number- / - / - / - / - / -
Prevalence7,683 products (8.28% of dataset)
Most used inSkincare
EU statusRestricted (annex )
Scientific studies303 on PubMed (skin/cosmetic/topical)
Monthly searches4,400

Used in

General Moisturizers 18.6%Serums 15.1%Sheet Masks 8.8%Body Lotions 5.8%Toners 4.7%Eye Moisturizers 3.8%

Frequently asked

What does Carbomer do in skincare?
Carbomer functions as an emulsion stabilising, gel forming agent in cosmetic formulas.
Is Carbomer allowed in cosmetics?
Yes, but it is regulated in the EU — it appears in a Cosmetics Regulation annex with usage conditions.
What products contain Carbomer?
It is most commonly found in Skincare products, especially general moisturizers (18.6% of its uses).

Manufacturers with experience using Carbomer

Match with vetted US contract manufacturers that have hands-on experience formulating with this ingredient.