Pet Care • Fabric Care • Personal Care
An MTI Company
POLARGEL® UV
SPF Boosting Technology
Polargel® UV products represent a family of unique, multifunctional additive for cosmetic and personal care
products, designed to offer an unprecedented combination of functional benefits that include:
Ø SPF boost of sunscreen formulations resulting in achieving targeted SPF with less UV filters and at
lower cost
Ø Reduced greasiness associated with lower use of organic sunscreens, resulting in a product with
more desirable dry, silky after feel
Ø Provides secondary thickening of the water phase, with improved application rheology –
no stringiness or stickiness that results from other natural thickeners emulsions
Ø Aids the stabilization of O/W emulsions
Polargel® UV is available in the form of hydrogel. Produced through a proprietary manufacturing process, it is a
viscous, aqueous dispersion of pigmentary materials, sodium bentonite clay, and spruce extract that is used as a
dispersant.
Product INCI Name Suggested Use
Levels
Description and Typical Use
Polargel
UV - 1416
Water, bentonite,
picea abies wood
extract, sodium
polyacrylate, titanium
dioxide, xanthan
gum,
phenoxyethanol, ethyl
hexylglycerin
3 – 5%
A pumpable hydrogel containing bentonite, and picea
abies wood extract; derived from spruce trees, and
pigmentary titanium dioxide. Polargel® UV-1116 is
recommended for beach products and other moderate
to high SPF formulas desiring water resistant or water
proof performance. (Note: pigmentary grade titanium dioxide is
Water, zinc oxide,
bentonite, titanium
dioxide, picea abies
wood extract, sodium
polyacrylates,
xanthan gum,
butylene glycol,
sodium borate,
phenoxyethanol,
methylparaben,
ethylparaben,
butylparaben,
propylparaben and
isopropylparaben
8% – 20% (to
achieve 2% to
5% of ZnO in the
final formula)
Polargel
UV – 3025
used in Polargel UV-1116 as a color additive to improve overall
color aesthetics of the final formula. At suggested Polargel UV use
levels, less than 1% TiO 2 is contributed to the final formula and
does not contribute to SPF performance.)
A pumpable hydrogel containing zinc oxide, sodium
bentonite, and spruce extract. Because of the unique
dispersion system, Polargel UV-3025 offers a cost
effective means of adding monograph levels of zinc
oxide to a sunscreen formula without the inherent
stability problems of other zinc oxide dispersions and
products.
2870 Forbs Avenue | Hoffman Estates, IL 60192 | www.amcolhpc.com
Pet Care • Fabric Care • Personal Care
An MTI Company
I. Performance: Polargel UV was evaluated in both in-vivo and in-vitro studies for its ability to
boost SPF. In Figure 1, a typical SPF 15 water-in-oil formula was made with and without Polargel
UV. As indicated by the chart, the inclusion of just 3.75% Polargel UV resulting in over a 2x boost
in measured SPF values based on both in vitro and clinical studies.
40
37
35
SPF
30
25
20
17
15
10
5
0
w/o Control
w/ 3.5% PGel UV
One of the important benefits of Polargel UV-1116 is the resulting cost savings based on the
ability to use less sunscreen to achieve a desired SPF. Figure 2 shows the results of a survey
conducted during 2003 – 2004. Very Water Resistant SPF vs. sunscreen concentration was
plotted for a series of retail products. Polargel UV containing sunscreens were also plotted
based upon their actual sunscreen levels and 20 person in-vivo SPF (both o/w and w/o
formulations). As depicted, sunscreen levels in the Polargel UV formulas were as much as
50% lower than the levels reported with the major retail brands.
2870 Forbs Avenue | Hoffman Estates, IL 60192 | www.amcolhpc.com
Pet Care • Fabric Care • Personal Care
An MTI Company
SPF VS. SUNSCREEN ACTIVE CONCENTRATION
40
35
% SUNSCREEN
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
SPF
II. Use Guidelines:
Add Polargel UV to the water phase. It is recommended to make a slurry with a portion
of water.
If using Carbomer or other anionic thickener, make the emulsion first, and then
post-add Polargel UV.
It is advisable to keep Carbomer concentrations below 0.3%. Non-ionic thickeners such as
xanthan gum are recommended for additional viscosity and product stabilization.
In o/w emulsions, Polargel UV performance is maximized by using anionic emulsifiers.
Good examples are lactylates, stearates, and cetyl phosphate.
Use sodium hydroxide as neutralizer. Avoid use of Triethanolamine.
III. Formulations – AMCOL HBS has developed an extensive formulary of in vivo tested and long
term stability tested prototypes that range from SPF 15 to SPF 60. The many different formulas
include sprays, lotions, and o/w, w/o. and use a wide variety of sunscreen actives including ZnO.
These are available upon request.
2870 Forbs Avenue | Hoffman Estates, IL 60192 | www.amcolhpc.com