Sodium Carboxymethyl Starch ●
TL;DR. It is used primarily as a viscosity modifier and absorbent, helping powders feel drier and water-based formulas build body. It can also support suspension and binding in pressed or anhydrous formats.
What does Sodium Carboxymethyl Starch do in a cosmetic formula?
It is used primarily as a viscosity modifier and absorbent, helping powders feel drier and water-based formulas build body. It can also support suspension and binding in pressed or anhydrous formats.
Is Sodium Carboxymethyl Starch clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, it is generally well tolerated, not a common sensitizer, and not a typical restricted-list flag. The main nuance is that it is chemically modified, so brands focused only on minimally processed materials may scrutinize it.
Is Sodium Carboxymethyl Starch sustainable?
It starts from a renewable plant polysaccharide, then is chemically derivatized to improve water handling and texture. It is expected to biodegrade like other modified polysaccharides, with a lighter persistence profile than synthetic nondegradable polymers.
Is Sodium Carboxymethyl Starch COSMOS-approved?
It can be permitted under COSMOS-natural, and under COSMOS-organic only when the source material and processing route meet the standard’s requirements. Green Chemistry fit is reasonably strong because the backbone is renewable and biodegradable, although derivatization uses conventional reagents rather than minimal processing.
How does Sodium Carboxymethyl Starch work chemically?
The molecule is an anionic anhydroglucose polymer derivative, where some hydroxyl groups carry ionized carboxylate substituents that increase water swelling and viscosity. Typical cosmetic use is often about 0.5% to 5% for texture or absorbency, with performance depending on grade, electrolyte load, and shear during processing.
Last updated 2026-05-13