Which carbomer grade should I use for a hair gel?

Carbomer 940 is the classic choice for high-clarity hair gels with strong viscosity. Carbomer 980 is preferred for crystal-clear hydroalcoholic gels. Ultrez 20 is a modern self-wetting grade that disperses easily and gives excellent clarity.

Specialty & Cosmetic Grade

Carbomers, direct.

Polyacrylic acid polymers for specialty, cosmetic and home-care formulations. 15+ grades available — controlled release, suspending, emulsifying, rheology modification and oral care. USP, IP and EP compliant. COA with every batch.

USP / IP / EP COA Per Batch ISO 9001 + GMP Ships Globally

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Functional roles

What carbomers do in a formulation

Carbomers are high molecular weight, crosslinked polyacrylic acid polymers. Neutralised with a base they swell up to 1000× their volume, producing thick clear gels with excellent rheology. Five core functions across specialty, cosmetic and home care:

Controlled Release

Hydrophilic matrix for sustained-release oral tablets and bioadhesive systems. Predictable, pH-dependent drug release profiles.

974 P 971 P 934 P

Suspending Agent

Stabilises insoluble particles in liquid suspensions, lotions and emulsions. Prevents settling without high-shear processing.

934 P 974 P 996

Emulsifier

Stabilises oil-in-water emulsions for creams and lotions. Acts as a primary or secondary emulsifier with excellent freeze-thaw stability.

934 980 Ultrez 20

Rheology Modifier

Builds high yield value at low usage (0.1–1%). Pseudoplastic flow, short-flow gels, lotions, hair products and topicals.

940 941 Ultrez 10

Oral Care

Toothpaste binder and rheology modifier. High clarity, ionic tolerance, excellent dispersion in glycerol systems.

956 974 P 971 P

Full Catalogue

All grades, one table

Search by grade number or filter by industry. Click "Request" on the grade you need — the form is pre-filled.

Grade	Polymer Type	Key Feature	Best For	Industry
Carbomer 974 P	Homopolymer (specialty)	Controlled release · bioadhesion	Oral solids, tablets, topicals	Specialty
Carbomer 934 P	Homopolymer (specialty)	Tablet binder · short flow	Solid dosage forms, binding agent	Specialty
Carbomer 971 P	Homopolymer (specialty)	High purity · low viscosity clear gel	Controlled release matrix, oral suspensions	Specialty
Carbomer 980 (specialty)	Homopolymer (specialty)	Crystal-clear high-purity gel	Specialty topical gels, ophthalmics	Specialty
Carbomer 940	Homopolymer	High clarity · high viscosity	Hair gels, aloe vera gels, creams	Cosmetic
Carbomer 980	Homopolymer	Crystal-clear high viscosity	Hydroalcoholic gels, sanitisers	Cosmetic
Carbomer 941	Homopolymer	Low viscosity · ionic tolerance	Skin gels, lotions, low-viscosity	Cosmetic
Carbomer 956	Homopolymer	High clarity · medium viscosity	Hydroalcoholic gels, toothpaste	Cosmetic
Carbomer 950	Homopolymer	High clarity · high viscosity	Gels, lotions, face wash	Cosmetic
Carbomer 974	Homopolymer	Short flow · opaque gels	Creams, lotions, toothpaste	Cosmetic
Carbomer 934	Homopolymer	Short flow · opaque gels	Creams, lotions, toothpaste	Cosmetic
Ultrez 20	Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylates Crosspolymer	Self-wetting · excellent clarity	Creams, gels, premium personal care	Cosmetic
Ultrez 21	Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylates Crosspolymer	Self-wetting · short flow · high viscosity	Creams, hair gels, moisturising	Cosmetic
Ultrez 10	Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylates Crosspolymer	Self-wetting · high viscosity	Hair gels, moisturising gels, lotions	Cosmetic
Carbomer 996	Crosslinked Polyacrylate	Low-dose thickening & suspending	O/W lotions, creams, suspending	Cosmetic
Carbomer 990	Crosslinked Polyacrylate	High-efficiency rheology modifier	Hydroalcoholic gels, O/W creams	Cosmetic
ETD 2020	Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylates Crosspolymer	Easy disperse · electrolyte tolerance	Surface cleaners, mold removers, toilet	Home Care
Carbomer 276	Crosslinked Polyacrylate	Strong stabiliser + suspending	Auto polishes, glass cleaners, hard surface	Home Care
Carbomer 676	Crosslinked Polyacrylate	Short flow · high viscosity	Dish wash, home care cleaning	Home Care

Recommended by industry

Pick by what you're making

If you already know the application but not the grade, start here. Each segment shows the grades formulators reach for most often, with the role they play.

Specialty

Oral solid dosage, controlled-release matrices, bioadhesive systems, topicals, ophthalmics. USP, IP and EP compliant grades with full COA per batch.

Carbomer 974 P
Controlled release · bioadhesion

Carbomer 934 P
Tablet binder · solid dosage

Carbomer 971 P
High purity · oral suspensions

Carbomer 980
Crystal-clear topical gels

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Cosmetic & Personal Care

Hair gels, skin gels, creams, lotions, hydroalcoholic gels, sanitisers, toothpaste. From classic homopolymers to modern self-wetting Ultrez grades that disperse with no fuss.

Carbomer 940
Hair & aloe vera gels · classic

Carbomer 980
Hydroalcoholic gels · sanitisers

Ultrez 20
Self-wetting · premium creams

Carbomer 941
Lotions · low viscosity

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Home & Personal Care

Dish wash, laundry, surface cleaners, glass cleaners, toilet cleaners, auto polishes, sanitising sprays. Electrolyte- and surfactant-tolerant crosspolymers for tough formulas.

ETD 2020
Surface cleaners · easy disperse

Carbomer 941
Mold removers · ionic tolerance

Carbomer 276
Auto polish · hard surface

Ultrez 10
Versatile thickening

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Application matrix

Grade by application

Cross-reference: which grades work for each dosage form. Useful when you're scoping a new formulation and need a shortlist.

Application	Recommended Grades
Bio-adhesives	940974 P980971 P934 P
Suspensions	974 P934 P980971 P996
Lotions	934940974 P941971 PUltrez 20
Creams	934940974 P980Ultrez 21ETD 2020
Solid Dosage (oral)	974 P934 P971 P980
Crystal-clear Gels	980940956Ultrez 20Ultrez 21
Hydroalcoholic Gels & Sanitisers	980956990Ultrez 10
Toothpaste / Oral Care	956974 P971 P934
Surface & Hard Surface Cleaners	ETD 2020941276950
Auto Polish / Glass Cleaner	ETD 2020276

Common questions

FAQ

If you're new to carbomers — or shopping around — here are the things formulators and procurement teams ask before sending a sample request.

What is the difference between Carbomer 940 and Carbomer 974 P?

Carbomer 940 is a cosmetic homopolymer used in gels, lotions and creams for high clarity and viscosity. Carbomer 974 P is the high-purity variant (USP/EP compliant) primarily used as a controlled-release matrix and bioadhesive agent in oral solid dosage forms. The "P" denotes high-purity grade with stricter purity and residual-solvent specs.

Are your carbomers compliant with standards?

Yes. All our high-purity grades comply with USP, IP and EP standards. Certificate of Analysis (COA) is provided with every batch, plus DMF letter of access on request for regulated markets.

Which grade should I use for a hair gel?

Carbomer 940 is the classic choice for high-clarity, high-viscosity hair gels. Carbomer 980 gives crystal-clear hydroalcoholic gels. Ultrez 20 is a modern self-wetting grade that disperses with simple stirring — no high-shear required — and delivers excellent clarity. Pick based on your processing equipment and target viscosity.

Which grade for controlled-release tablets?

Carbomer 974 P and Carbomer 971 P are the most widely used grades for controlled-release oral solid dosage forms. Carbomer 934 P is preferred when tablet binding and bioadhesion are the primary requirements rather than release rate.

Which countries do you ship to?

We ship globally. Carbomers are not classified as dangerous goods (non-DG), so they ship via standard ocean and air freight to any destination port with no special handling required. Common routes: India to US, EU, MEA, SE Asia, Latam.

Can you supply specs / TDS / SDS / COA before purchase?

Yes. Submit the form on this page and we will share the Technical Data Sheet (TDS), Material Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and a representative Certificate of Analysis (COA) for the grade you've selected. Every shipment carries its own batch-specific COA.