A natural gum from the tragacanth shrub, used as a binder, thickener and film former.
What it is
Astragalus gummifer gum is the dried exudate obtained from the tragacanth shrub, Astragalus gummifer, of the legume family (Fabaceae); it is known as gum tragacanth. CosIng lists it as a binding, emulsion-stabilising, film-forming, fragrance and viscosity-controlling ingredient.
Where it is used
Appears on the ingredient lists of a small number of products.
Limits of interpretation
The INCI list shows which ingredients are present, not how much of each. Above 1%, ingredients are listed in descending order of weight; below 1% the order is free.
As a natural material, its composition can vary between batches.
Functions
- Binding
- Providing adhesive properties during and after compression in cosmetic tablets and/or cakes.
- Emulsion stabilising
- Helping the process of emulsification and improving emulsion stability and shelf-life.
- Film forming
- Producing (upon application) a continuous film on the skin, hair or nails.
- Fragrance
- Imparting an odour or taste. Creating a perceivable pleasant smell and/or masking a bad smell.
- Viscosity controlling
- Increasing or decreasing the viscosity (thickness) of cosmetics.
EU regulation
This ingredient is not listed in the annexes of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 in the CosIng data.