GELLAN GUM
Gellan gum, listed as GELLAN GUM, is a polysaccharide made when a bacterium ferments a carbohydrate. Once purified and dried, it becomes a gum that can disperse in water, which makes it useful in formulas that need a more structured texture rather than a thin, unstable mixture.
GELLAN GUM: what it is
Gellan gum, listed as GELLAN GUM, is a polysaccharide made when a bacterium ferments a carbohydrate. Once purified and dried, it becomes a gum that can disperse in water, which makes it useful in formulas that need a more structured texture rather than a thin, unstable mixture.
Gellan gum is available in forms with higher or lower acyl content. That difference changes how the material behaves in water and how firm or elastic the structures it forms can be. For that reason, two products listing GELLAN GUM may not feel or thicken in exactly the same way: the grade selected also matters.
GELLAN GUM: what it does in cosmetics
In cosmetics, gellan gum helps control viscosity: it can add body to a liquid, support a gel or lotion texture, and make the product spread with a more even feel. Its film-forming capacity can also help create a continuous layer within the formula after it is applied, which is useful when a more cohesive finish is wanted.
These are physical effects on texture and structure, not a treatment in themselves. Gellan gum should not be understood as an ingredient that treats acne, dark spots, wrinkles, or wounds; the result a person notices depends on the format, the amount used, and the other ingredients in the preparation.
Products containing this ingredient
See which products include it and the name used in each composition.
