Guar Gum Powder


What does this mean?

Inci:Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride

A self hydrating gum which gives excellent thickening abilities to water based products as well as anti static and conditioning ability in hair care products. Certified non-GMO, free of animal testing and fully biodegradable.


A pale yellow to beige coloured powder with a fishy odour that disappears once it has been blended with water.
It is derived from guar beans which are a legume and commonly eaten as food in India.
The endosperm of the guar bean is ground and sifted in several stages until there is a fine powder called guaran. This is then quaternised to make Guar Gum Powder. It is a natural and renewable resource that is non-toxic and biodegradable.
The beans are guaranteed non-GMO and the resulting Guar Gum Powder is not tested on animals.
According to the Cosmetic Ingredient Database (Cosing), the functions of Guar Gum Powder are:
Anti Static, Film Forming, Skin Conditioning, Viscosity Controlling
To view more information, visit the Cosing Database here.


Use in formulations at 0.5% to 2% or higher if needed. It is water-soluble so cannot be used with oil-only products.
It starts to hydrate very readily with water but can take up to 1 hour to become fully hydrated. You may find that it starts to hydrate so quickly that it forms lumps. These can be whisked out but could also mix the guar gum with a little glycerine or a vegetable oil first. This slows down the hydration initially and helps to prevent lumps.
Once it is fully hydrated, the gel can be heated to 50°C but do ensure that it is quite fluid. Very thick gels may be prone to scorching. If the guar gum is added to cold water and then heated in a bain marie, it makes an exceptional gel that is very smooth and feels superb!
It is stable between pH 5 and 9. If used at pH 3, you can feel some “pilling” as it starts to break down. This can be modified by combining it with another thickening agent.
Skin Care
Guar gum attaches to the skin to form a conditioning and protective polymeric film, giving a very elegant skin feel to the finished product.
It can be used to stabilise creams and lotions that have a lot of actives that may be be challenging to the emulsion. It will also add some thickness to the finished product.
It can hold a small amount of oil in suspension without settling which is an idea way to get Omega 3 rich oils into a product without heating them.
Hair Care
Guar gum attaches itself to the anionic hair shaft to form a conditioning and protective polymeric film, protecting the hair whilst keeping it hydrated and flexible.
Unlike many commercial conditioners, it leaves no polymer build up.
It can be used in shampoos, hair conditioners and hair packs where it not only provides thickness and texture to the product but also improves hair combing and brushing without tangling and reduces breakage.
Its film forming ability also makes it substantive to the hair giving it some greater volume.


It can be cross matrixed with several other thickening agents like Konjac Glucomannan, Xanthan Gum and Cellulose. Make each gel separately before blending them together. This makes a stronger gel matrix.

Click on the links below to be directed to great recipes featuring Guar Gum Powder:


The word guar comes from the Sankrit language and means “food for cows”. The largest use for guar gum comes from the food industry where it is used in cakes, ice creams and sauces to name just a few items. As it is gluten-free, it is also used as a flour replacement in baked goods. Its ability to expand and hold liquids means it has also been used in weight reduction foods as it gives a sensation of fullness in the stomach for longer.