Sclerotium Gum

The details

Sclerotium Gum is a natural sugar-based fiber made by fermenting a fungus called Sclerotium rolfsii. It's often used as the plant-friendly alternative for synthetic thickeners like carbomer . In skincare, it works as a thickener, gel former, and stabilizer that keeps heavy ingredients suspended so a product does not separate. It is non-ionic and forms a triple helix in solution. This is just a fancy way of saying it builds a smooth, cushiony, and non-sticky gel that feels silkier than many other gums. Another perk of this ingredient is that it is very sturdy and holds up across a wide pH range (~2-11). It's also good at resisting heat and hydrolysis. Since it holds water at the skin surface, it can provide some light hydration as well. Typical use levels are around 0.25-2%; formulators usually use 0.2-0.5% to thicken lotions and up to 2% for a firmer gel base. This ingredient has been found safe in cosmetics with no meaningful evidence of skin sensitization.

Found in (3 products)

Topicals

Faded Brightening + Clearing Serum

Serums

Reef safeAlcohol-freeParaben-free+4

The Ordinary

GF 15% Solution

Serums

Oil-freeReef safeAlcohol-free+7

Caudalie

Resveratrol Lift Firming Eye Gel-Cream

Eye Moisturizers

Reef safeParaben-freeSulfate-free+2