Dear Valerie: I’m wondering if you have any opinions on using guar gum in a shampoo or a conditioner? I’—Stuck for an Answer

Dear Stuck:
I’m not generally a fan of using xanthan gum in hair care products. While xanthan gum lends thickening properties to the aqueous phase of a shampoo, it offers little else. It doesn’t add any pleasing aesthetics as your hands or comb glide down the hair, and there are no conditioning properties afforded from this fermented powder. On the contrary, derivatized guar gums, like guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, offers several benefits to the formulator and consumer alike. In addition to providing a subtle boost in viscosity at low use levels, guar gums offer subtle conditioning properties to a shampoo. Whether you’re making a two-in-one shampoo/conditioner, or just want basic improvement in wet combability, a quaternized guar can accommodate the range of conditioning you seek. These cationic guar gums are also highly compatibility in cleanser systems, even despite the presence of anionic surfactants.

Need help deciding on which derivatized guar to use? In the February 2022 issue of Dear Valerie, I outlined how to select the right one. The type of formulation you’re making (clear vs opaque) or how much cationicity you need from the gum (which directly correlates to the intensity of conditioning) will influence which guar gets the rose at the end of the night.

As for conditioners, I also don’t recommend xanthan gum in this application. Xanthan gum is slightly anionic, rendering it incompatible with the load of cationic conditioning agents in a conditioner formulation—as Paula Abdul sang, “Opposites attract!” However, you don’t want that to occur in your conditioner.

Would you be surprised if I told you I don’t generally use guar gums in conditioners? This is most true if a cationic guar has been used in the corresponding shampoo. I find that overuse of guar gums tends to leave residue on hair, or makes hair feel weighed down and dingy after a day. A conditioner already offers great detangling properties, due to its cationic emulsifiers and generous oil phase. You don’t need guar on top of it.

I don’t mind using xanthan gum in one hair care application—hair styling products. You don’t necessarily need conditioning or detangling from a styler, and xanthan gum is generally compatible with some of the go-to polymers in a formulator’s arsenal.

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Valerie George
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Valerie George is a cosmetic chemist, science communicator, educator, leader, and avid proponent of transparency in the beauty industry. She works on the latest research in hair color and hair care at her company, Simply Formulas, and is the co-host of The Beauty Brains podcast. You can find her on Instagram at @cosmetic_chemist or showcasing her favorite ingredients to small brands and home formulators at simply-ingredients.com