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Illustration of pale cream Ecogel powder in a clear glass dish

Ecogel™ Powder

£8.00 - £199.00
£8.00
£8.00 - £199.00
£8.00

INCI Name: Lysolecithin (and) Sclerotium Gum (and) Xanthan Gum (and) Pullulan

CAS Number: 85711-58-6, 9057-02-7, 39464-87-4 (and) 11138-66-2

3-in-1 natural gelling emulsifier · Silicone-like feel · Ecocert / COSMOS registered

Ecogel™ from Lucas Meyer Cosmetics (IFF) is a patented, natural-origin gelling and emulsifying agent. It combines lysolecithin with three biotech gums (xanthan, sclerotium and pullulan) to thicken, emulsify and improve skin feel in one ingredient.

Used at just 0.3–2%, it creates light natural gel-creams with an ultra-soft, silicone-like feel, and also stabilises and thickens O/W emulsions. It works by cold or hot process, is stable from pH 2 to 10 and tolerates electrolytes and surfactants.

Browse more natural emulsifiers.

Proven Performance

Results from Lucas Meyer Cosmetics' tests:

  • 3-in-1: thickens, emulsifies and improves skin feel in one ingredient. Xanthan and sclerotium gums give the thickening power, and lysolecithin gives emulsifying properties with smaller, more stable oil droplets.
  • Strong thickener: 2% in deionised water gives about 10,000–13,000 mPa·s with a rotor-stator homogeniser.
  • Silicone-like feel: pullulan and lysolecithin give a light, soft feel with good spreadability. In a sensory panel, gel-creams matched those made with synthetic acrylate and acrylamide thickeners on most attributes.
  • Less pilling than natural gums: compared with sclerotium gum alone, Ecogel scored 36% lower for picking (pilling) and 42% lower for resilience.
  • Stable from pH 3 to 10: viscosity stays steady across this range.
  • Electrolyte tolerant: keeps its viscosity with up to 2% of salts such as sodium chloride or magnesium sulfate.
  • Boosts surfactant products: adding 0.5% Ecogel increased the viscosity of a test cleanser by 56% and improved its sensory properties.
  • Suspends particles: good dispersing and suspending power for pigments, exfoliating particles and mineral UV filters.
Applications & Certifications

Applications

  • Light natural gel-creams
  • Aqueous gels
  • Creams and lotions (as a stabiliser and viscosity adjuster)
  • Body butters
  • Shampoos and shower gels (to build viscosity and improve feel)
  • Sun care and tinted products with mineral filters or pigments

Certifications and regulatory

  • Ecocert / COSMOS registered
  • Preservative-free
  • Natural origin; made by a green, cold and dry biotechnology process
  • China compliant
Technical Details

INCI: Lysolecithin (and) Sclerotium Gum (and) Xanthan Gum (and) Pullulan

Manufacturer: Lucas Meyer Cosmetics (IFF), France

Appearance: Beige powder

Type: Natural anionic gelling and emulsifying agent

HLB: Not applicable

Use level: 0.3–2% (do not exceed 2%, to limit pilling)

pH range: 2–10 (below pH 2 the gel turns opaque; above pH 10 it darkens)

Process: Cold or hot, up to 80°C

Oil phase: At 2%, emulsifies up to 10% oil (varies with the oils used)

Typical viscosity: 10,000–13,000 mPa·s at 2% in deionised water (rotor-stator, 24 hours)

Origin: Lysolecithin from soya lecithin, a by-product of the food industry; xanthan, sclerotium and pullulan gums made by biotechnology

Certifications: Ecocert / COSMOS registered; preservative-free; China compliant

* Further documentation available with purchase

Formulation Guide

Use level by function

  • Skin-feel enhancer: from 0.3%
  • Stabiliser and viscosity adjuster: from 1%
  • Emulsifier for gel-creams: from 1.5%; 2% emulsifies up to 10% oil
  • Maximum: 2%, to limit pilling

Method

  1. Add Ecogel straight to the water phase. No pre-dispersion is needed, but you can premix it in glycerin.
  2. Hot or cold process both work. Hot process: up to 80°C. The brochure suggests hydrating with stirring at 70–75°C for about 20 minutes.
  3. For gels and gel-creams, add Ecogel before emulsifying. To stabilise or thicken an existing O/W emulsion, add it at the end.
  4. Emulsify at maximum speed. A rotor-stator homogeniser is strongly recommended: shear is what builds viscosity.

Lab guide (500 g batch, 2% in water, viscosity after 24 hours)

  • Rotor-stator (2,500 rpm, 5 min): 10,000–13,000 mPa·s
  • Ultra-Turrax (10,000 rpm, 7 min): 10,000–13,000 mPa·s
  • Toothed propeller (vortex, 30 min): 4,000–6,000 mPa·s

Compatible with

  • All oil types: esters, vegetable oils, mineral oils and silicones
  • Natural and synthetic thickeners: xanthan, cellulose, carrageenan, carbomers, acrylates
  • Anionic, amphoteric and non-ionic surfactants; polyglycerol, glycerol and sucrose ester co-emulsifiers
  • Most preservatives, including phenoxyethanol, benzoate, sorbate and glycols
  • Electrolytes up to 2%, ethanol up to 10%, pigments, pearls and chemical or mineral UV filters

Avoid

  • Aluminium salts and cationic ingredients (they cause lumps)
  • Caprylhydroxamic acid (causes an odour change over time)

Tips

  • Ecogel is not shear-sensitive, so long, high-shear mixing won't break the gel.
  • Final viscosity develops after 24 hours. Cold process is thicker at first, but hot and cold match by the next day.
  • To reduce air bubbles, use a vacuum, or hydrate at over 60°C with a toothed propeller for 30–40 minutes at low speed.
  • If the formula oxidises, add a chelating agent and/or antioxidant.
  • Some separation (syneresis) can occur at 4°C. Adding a little cellulose or carrageenan helps.
Found In

Lucas Meyer reference formula

  • Ultra-Soft Gel-Cream (11.059.03 C105 ECO) – 2% Ecogel, with 9% oils and butters

Found in

  • Eve Lom Radiance Antioxidant Eye Cream
  • Olivanna Bakuchiol Miracle Night Serum
  • 111SKIN Lunar 28-Day Bright Anti-Ageing Set

Planning a formula?

Work out how much Ecogel™ Powder you need, the cost per jar and your INCI list with our free Formula Calculator.