Sodium Carrageenan ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is primarily a water-phase thickener and gel former. It helps build viscosity, stabilize emulsions and suspensions, and improve slip in gels, lotions, masks, and toothpaste.
What does Sodium Carrageenan do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is primarily a water-phase thickener and gel former. It helps build viscosity, stabilize emulsions and suspensions, and improve slip in gels, lotions, masks, and toothpaste.
Is Sodium Carrageenan clean?
From a clean beauty perspective, it is generally well accepted, with low dermal irritation potential and little restricted-list friction. Most concern comes from confusion with degraded research-grade materials, not the high-molecular-weight cosmetic form used in formulas.
Is Sodium Carrageenan sustainable?
This material is typically sourced from red seaweed, a renewable marine biomass that does not require farmland or freshwater irrigation. It is biodegradable, although responsible seaweed farming and coastal ecosystem management matter for supply quality.
Is Sodium Carrageenan COSMOS-approved?
It is generally permitted under COSMOS-natural and COSMOS-organic when derived from allowed seaweed sources and processed with approved extraction and neutralization methods. Its renewable origin, aqueous processing potential, and biodegradability give it strong Green Chemistry alignment.
How does Sodium Carrageenan work chemically?
The molecule is a high-molecular-weight anionic polysaccharide with sulfate groups and sodium counterions, which lets it hydrate in water and create viscosity through chain entanglement and ion interactions. Typical cosmetic use is about 0.1% to 2%, with better hydration under heat, broad stability around mildly acidic to neutral pH, and reduced performance under strongly acidic, high-heat conditions.
Last updated 2026-05-13