Analysis of HPMC in Facial Cleansing Products and Foam Formulations: Foam Stability and Skin Comfort

What is HPMC and Its Applications in Personal Care

Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose (HPMC) is a chemically modified polymer derived from natural cellulose, known for its thickening, film-forming, emulsifying, and moisturizing properties. It is widely used in cosmetics, personal care, pharmaceuticals, and food industries.

Key advantages of HPMC in cosmetics include:

High Safety Profile: Plant-based origin, compliant with FDA and EU cosmetic regulations, vegan-friendly, and suitable for clean beauty formulations.

Mild and Non-Irritating: Does not react with skin proteins, has low sensitization potential, suitable for sensitive and baby skin products.

Multifunctionality: Provides desired viscosity and rheology while enhancing product feel and appearance.

Common applications:

Facial cleansers (foam cleansers, mousses, cleansing lotions)

Shampoos and conditioners

Creams, lotions, serums

Eye drops and contact lens lubricants (pharmaceutical grade)

Core Requirements of Facial Cleansing Products Regarding Foam and Skin Feel

In today's personal care market, competition in facial cleansers goes beyond cleansing efficacy and focuses on overall user experience. Consumers usually prioritize:

Rich and Fine Foam
Foam helps encapsulate dirt and excess oils, reducing direct friction and irritation on the skin.

Stable and Long-Lasting Foam
Foam stability during cleansing influences user satisfaction; rapid foam collapse may lead to insufficient cleansing or poor experience.

Mildness and Skin Barrier Protection
Especially for sensitive and dry skin, preference for formulations with gentle pH and minimal skin barrier disruption.

Smooth Skin Feel and Easy Rinsing
After cleansing, skin should not feel tight or greasy.

HPMC is a key ingredient that improves these essential indicators.

Technical Roles of HPMC in Foam Formulations

1. Thickening and Rheology Adjustment

HPMC forms a three-dimensional network structure, increasing formulation viscosity and improving surfactant system rheology, resulting in finer, more uniform foam.

2. Foam Stabilization Mechanism

Inhibition of Bubble Coalescence: HPMC polymer chains adsorb on bubble liquid films, forming a stabilizing layer that prevents rapid foam rupture.

Delaying Liquid Drainage: Its viscoelastic properties slow water drainage from foam films, prolonging foam lifespan.

3. Synergistic Effects

When combined with mild surfactants such as amino acid surfactants and betaines, HPMC further optimizes foam quality and skin feel.

Mechanisms by Which HPMC Enhances Skin Comfort

1. Moisturizing and Water Retention

HPMC forms a transparent moisturizing film on the skin surface, reducing water evaporation during cleansing and helping maintain skin softness.

2. Reducing Surfactant-Induced Irritation

HPMC can partially encapsulate surfactant molecules, reducing their direct contact with keratin proteins, thereby lowering defatting and irritation potential.

3. Improving Lubricity

Inclusion of appropriate amounts of HPMC significantly improves skin feel by making the cleansing process smoother and reducing friction.

Formulation Examples and Experimental Data Comparison

Formulation Experiment (Example)

Formulation A: 0.5% HPMC

Formulation B: No HPMC

Comparison Results:

Parameter	Formulation A	Formulation B
Foam Generation Time	3 seconds	3 seconds
Foam Fineness	High	Medium
Foam Stability (3 min retention)	85%	60%
Skin Moisture Content Increase After Cleansing	+18%	+7%
User Comfort Score	9.2/10	7.5/10

Results show that formulations with HPMC outperform in foam stability, moisturization, and skin feel.

Market Trends and R&D Recommendations

Growing Demand for Clean Beauty: Consumers prefer sulfate-free, plant-based formulations. HPMC’s natural origin aligns well with this trend.

Sustainability: HPMC is biodegradable, supporting environmentally friendly marketing strategies.

Multifunctional Formulations: Suitable for gentle cleansers with thickening, foam stabilization, moisturizing functions, reducing need for multiple additives.

Conclusion and Selection Guide

Recommended Usage Levels:

Gentle foam cleansers: 0.3%–0.6%

High viscosity mousse-type products: 0.5%–1.0%

Selection Tips:

Low-viscosity HPMC: Suitable for light foam cleansers

Medium to high-viscosity HPMC: Suitable for mousse or high-foam formulation

Application

Hydroxyethyl cellulose（HEC）

The most important property of hydroxyethyl cellulose powder is that it acts as a thickener, in creasing the viscosity of the liquid,and its thickening depends on its concentration. If you're searching for a versatile solution that enhances the performance of your products, look no further than Hydroxyethyl Cellulose (HEC) powder.

Gypsum Special Grade HPMC

The gypsum special grade hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose HPMC has the characteristics of high water retention, dispersibility, good fineness, good workability and easy dissolution. widely used in gypsum products like gypsum plaster, adhesive plaster, embedded gypsum, tile adhesives etc.

Daily Chemical Products Additive

Daily Chemical HPMC has a variety of properties such as thickening, foam stabllization,emulifiation, and easy dispersion. Shampoo Additive HPMC has good compatibility with various additives of other daily chemical products. It is widely used in detergents, shower gels, shampoos, hand sanitizers, and laundry liquid and other products.

Tile Adhesive Additive

Tile Adhesive Additive HPMC can ensure the smooth construction on difterent base surtaces, even when the ambient temperalure is relalively harsh, the tile adhesive can be given a long enough open time and adjustable time.

Gypsum Additive

In gypsum products, the focus is on water retention, retardation and lubrication. Different gypsum has different effects on product performance, so thickening, water retention, and retardation determine the quality of gypsum building materials.

Mortar Additive

Adding hydroxypropyl metylellulose can improve anti-sip performance, improve wetting performance, thicken, improve batch scraping and slipping, easy to level, improve surface performance and strength, and have very good compatibility with other additives.

Putty Powder Additive

Hydroxypropyl metylcellulose is a commonly used raw material in powdered building materials, which greatly improves the slip performance and anti-sag performance of the construction, improves the wettability, improves the anti-slip performance of the putty, improves the leveling effect of the putty, and improves the construction eficlency.

Technical Guidelines for Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose (HPMC)

As a professional manufacturer of architectural-grade HPMC, we provide you with comprehensive technical guidance and problem-solving support throughout the production and application processes.

How much do you know about Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose(HPMC)?

Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) is a non-ionic cellulose ether obtained by cellulose alkalization, etherification, neutralization and washing. HPMC has good thickening, dispersing, emulsifying, film-forming properties, etc.It is the first choice for production of high quality building materials additives.

Laboratory overview

We have both Chemical Lab and Application Lab to ensure each order's best satisfaction

How to improve the adhesion of putty

When encountering the projects that have been constructed, it is found that the adhesion of putty on the exterior wall is poor, the following methods can be adopted to improve the adhesion of putty:

Dissolution Method

Take the required amount of hot water into the container and heat to above 85., stir slowly and add the product gradually The cellulose initially floats on the water, but gradually disperses in water and forms homogeneous slurry. Goon stirring until it cools down and becomes clear

Products

Faq

How many types does 2-Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) have, and what are the differences in their applications?

For putty applications, a lower viscosity of 100,000 is sufficient, and good water retention is important. For mortar applications, higher viscosity of 150,000 is preferred. For adhesive applications, a high-viscosity, quick-dissolving product is required.

Several dissolution methods of Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC)

For putty powder, a viscosity of around 100,000 is generally sufficient, while mortar requires a higher viscosity, around 150,000, to be effective. Moreover, the most important function of HPMC is water retention, followed by thickening. In putty powder, as long as it has good water retention and a lower viscosity (70,000-80,000), it can still be used. Of course, a higher viscosity provides relatively better water retention. However, when the viscosity exceeds 100,000, the impact of viscosity on water retention becomes less significant.

How to choose the appropriate hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) for different applications?

MC stands for methyl cellulose, which is a cellulose ether made from purified cotton through alkali treatment using chloromethane as the etherification agent, followed by a series of reactions. The degree of substitution is generally 1.6-2.0, and different degrees of substitution result in different solubilities. It belongs to non-ionic cellulose ethers. 1. Methyl cellulose's water retention depends on the amount added, viscosity, particle size, and dissolution rate. Generally, a higher amount, smaller particle size, and higher viscosity result in better water retention. Among these cellulose ethers, methyl cellulose and hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose have higher water retention. 2. Methyl cellulose is soluble in cold water but has difficulty dissolving in hot water. Its aqueous solution is stable within the pH range of 3-12. It has good compatibility with starch, guar gum, and many surfactants. Gelation occurs when the temperature reaches the gelation temperature. 3. Temperature variation significantly affects the water retention of methyl cellulose. Generally, higher temperatures result in poorer water retention. If the temperature of the mortar exceeds 40°C, the water retention of methyl cellulose decreases significantly, which adversely affects the workability of the mortar. 4. Methyl cellulose has a noticeable impact on the workability and adhesion of mortar. "Adhesion" refers to the adhesion force between the worker's application tool and the wall substrate, i.e., the shear resistance of the mortar. A higher adhesion leads to higher shear resistance, requiring more force from the worker during application and resulting in poorer workability. Among cellulose ether products, methyl cellulose has a moderate level of adhesion. HPMC stands for Hydroxypropyl Methyl Cellulose. It is a non-ionic cellulose ether derived from refined cotton through alkalization, using epichlorohydrin and chloromethane as etherification agents in a series of reactions. The degree of substitution is generally between 1.2 and 2.0. Its properties vary with the ratio of methoxy content to hydroxypropyl content. (1) Hydroxypropyl Methyl Cellulose is soluble in cold water, but it can be difficult to dissolve in hot water. However, its gelation temperature in hot water is significantly higher than that of methyl cellulose. Its solubility in cold water is greatly improved compared to methyl cellulose. (2) The viscosity of Hydroxypropyl Methyl Cellulose depends on its molecular weight, with higher molecular weight leading to higher viscosity. Temperature also affects its viscosity, with viscosity decreasing as temperature rises. However, its viscosity is less affected by temperature compared to methyl cellulose. Its solution is stable when stored at room temperature. (3) Hydroxypropyl Methyl Cellulose exhibits stability in acids and alkalis, and its aqueous solution is highly stable within the pH range of 2 to 12. It is minimally affected by sodium hydroxide and lime water, although alkalis can accelerate its dissolution and slightly increase its viscosity. It demonstrates stability in general salts, but at higher salt concentrations, the viscosity of Hydroxypropyl Methyl Cellulose solution tends to increase. (4) The water retention capacity of Hydroxypropyl Methyl Cellulose depends on factors such as the dosage and viscosity, and at the same dosage, its water retention rate is higher than that of methyl cellulose. (5) Hydroxypropyl Methyl Cellulose can be mixed with water-soluble high molecular weight compounds to form homogeneous solutions with higher viscosity. Examples include polyvinyl alcohol, starch ethers, and plant gums. (6) Hydroxypropyl Methyl Cellulose exhibits higher adhesion in mortar construction compared to methyl cellulose. (7) Hydroxypropyl Methyl Cellulose has better resistance to enzymatic degradation compared to methyl cellulose, and its solution is less likely to undergo enzymatic degradation.

What is the relationship between the gelation temperature of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and something else?

The dosage of HPMC in actual application varies depending on factors such as climate, temperature, local lime and calcium quality, putty powder formulation, and the desired quality specified by the customer. Generally, it ranges between 4 kg to 5 kg. For example, in Beijing, most putty powders use around 5 kg; in Guizhou, it is mostly 5 kg in summer and 4.5 kg in winter; in Yunnan, the dosage is smaller, usually around 3 kg to 4 kg, and so on.

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