Agar ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is used mainly as a natural gelling agent, thickener, and stabilizer in water-based formulas. It can help create gels, suspend particles, and improve texture without acting as an emulsifier on its own.
What does Agar do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is used mainly as a natural gelling agent, thickener, and stabilizer in water-based formulas. It can help create gels, suspend particles, and improve texture without acting as an emulsifier on its own.
Is Agar clean?
From a clean beauty perspective, this ingredient is generally well tolerated and has little restricted-list friction. Sensitization is uncommon, and the main quality consideration is ordinary raw-material purity rather than a known controversy.
Is Agar sustainable?
It is sourced from red algae, a renewable marine biomass, and it is readily biodegradable as a polysaccharide. Sustainability depends on responsible harvesting or cultivation practices, since poorly managed marine biomass sourcing can affect local ecosystems.
Is Agar COSMOS-approved?
This material is permitted under COSMOS natural and organic formulations when sourced and processed as an allowed natural raw material. It aligns well with Green Chemistry principles because it comes from renewable biomass, is water-processable, and biodegrades readily.
How does Agar work chemically?
The molecule is a high-molecular-weight galactose-based polysaccharide that forms thermo-reversible gels through chain association as hot solutions cool. Typical cosmetic use is about 0.1% to 2%, with hydration usually requiring high heat, gel setting around 30°C to 40°C, and melting at much higher temperatures.
Last updated 2026-05-13