Tetragonoloba (Guar) Gum

Tetragonoloba (guar) gum is a plant-derived galactomannan polysaccharide obtained from guar seeds and used widely in cosmetics. It builds viscosity, stabilizes emulsions, and adds slip, giving gels, lotions, and cleansers a smoother application feel.
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Ingredient Snapshot

Overview
A plant gum that thickens formulas and gives them a smoother glide.
Category
Skin Conditioning
Type
Thickener

Ingredient Ratings

Overall Rating

Good

Comedogenic Risk

None

Skin Benefits

Improves slip and cushion, giving products a smoother glide and a more elegant feel during use, and helps keep formulas cohesive so they run less.

Uses In Skincare & Cosmetics

Used to thicken and stabilize textures in shampoos, conditioners, facial cleansers, gels, masks, and body lotions.

Comedogenic Rating

This ingredient is not typically evaluated for comedogenicity, and no standardized rating is available.

Safety

Typically non-irritating in both rinse-off and leave-on formats; rare users may experience sensitivity or itch. Those with legume or seed sensitivities should patch test, given its guar seed origin.

Is Tetragonoloba (Guar) Gum a Good Ingredient?

It earns a Good rating for reliable thickening and stabilizing action at low use levels, broad compatibility across formulas, and a generally low irritation profile. It improves slip and viscosity without adding active-related reactivity, though, like most texture agents, it isn't a skin-benefit ingredient in its own right.