AccessGUAR CAT-140

Natural Cationic Conditioner & Thickener for Hair & Skin

INCI Name: Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride

AccessGUAR CAT-140 is a multi-functional cationic polymer derived from natural guar beans. It serves as an excellent conditioning agent and an efficient thickener in a wide range of hair and skin care products. Its positive charge allows it to smooth and soften hair and skin, providing noticeable detangling, frizz control, and a silky after-feel. As a plant-derived ingredient, it’s perfect for creating high-performance natural formulations.

Perfect For These Applications

Other cosmetic uses possible—contact us for formulation guidance.

Conditioning Shampoos

Provides excellent detangling and a soft, conditioned feel directly from the cleansing step, reducing the need for a separate heavy conditioner.
Rinse-Off Hair Conditioners

Delivers superior slip for easy wet-combing and leaves hair feeling soft, manageable, and free of static after rinsing.
Leave-In Hair Treatments

Forms a lightweight, non-tacky film on the hair to control frizz, protect from damage, and maintain a smooth, polished look without buildup.
Moisturizing Body Washes

Adds a luxurious, creamy texture to cleansers and leaves skin feeling smooth and moisturized, counteracting the drying effects of surfactants.
Facial Cleansers

Improves the texture and stability of gel or cream cleansers while providing a soft, conditioned post-wash skin feel.
Hair Styling Gels & Creams

Offers light hold, frizz control, and humidity resistance while thickening the formulation for the perfect product texture.

How to Use AccessGUAR CAT-140 in Your Formulations

Understanding AccessGUAR CAT-140

AccessGUAR CAT-140 is a versatile, plant-powered ingredient that performs two key jobs in your formula: it conditions, and it thickens. Derived from natural guar beans, this powder is modified to have a positive charge, making it “cationic.” This positive charge is the secret to its amazing conditioning power.

Think of it this way: damaged areas on hair (and the surface of your skin) have a slight negative charge. The positive charge of AccessGUAR CAT-140 acts like a magnet, drawing it to these areas. It deposits a very fine, smooth layer that flattens the hair cuticle, which results in incredible detangling, reduced static, and a soft, silky feel. In skin care, this same mechanism leaves skin feeling smooth and conditioned after washing. At the same time, it efficiently thickens the water in your formula, turning a thin liquid into a rich, stable gel or cream.

Formulation Tips

The key to working with AccessGUAR CAT-140 is proper hydration. Because it’s a high-performance thickener, it wants to absorb water quickly, which can lead to clumps if not done correctly. The typical usage rate is between 0.2% for a light conditioning effect and up to 2% for maximum thickness and conditioning.

Disperse Carefully: Slowly sprinkle the powder into the water phase while mixing vigorously. A stick blender or high-shear mixer is ideal for preventing “fish eyes” or clumps.
Pre-Mix Trick: For foolproof results, pre-disperse the AccessGUAR CAT-140 powder in a non-aqueous ingredient like glycerin or propanediol to form a smooth slurry. Then add this slurry to your moving water phase. The powder will disperse instantly and hydrate evenly.

This ingredient works beautifully in cold-process formulations, so no heating is required. It is compatible with most surfactants used in shampoos and body washes, working best with non-ionic and amphoteric systems. It is effective in a typical formulation pH range of 4.0 to 7.0.

Key Formulation Benefits:

Superior Hair Conditioning & Detangling: Its cationic charge is strongly attracted to hair fibers, providing exceptional slip for wet and dry combing, reducing friction and helping prevent breakage.
Efficient, Cold-Process Thickening: Easily builds viscosity in water-based systems without heat, enabling rich, stable gels and emulsions with a simple process.
Natural & Biodegradable: Derived from renewable guar beans—ideal for clean, eco-friendly, and biodegradable formulations.
Frizz Control & Smoothness: By smoothing the hair cuticle, it helps control frizz and flyaways, leaving hair polished and soft.
Enhanced Skin Feel in Cleansers: Mitigates the stripping effect of surfactants, leaving skin smooth, moisturized, and comfortable after rinsing.
No Buildup: Provides lightweight conditioning without heaviness, suitable for daily-use formulas.

Heading #1
Benefits	Biodegradable, Clean & Natural, Cold-Process Compatible, Detangling, Frizz Control, Hair Care Benefits, Natural Derived, Processing Benefits, Rich & Luxurious, Texture & Sensory
INCI Name	Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Usage Rate	0.2%-2%
Functional Type	Cationic Conditioning Agents, Conditioning Agents, Natural Gums & Polysaccharides, Thickeners & Rheology Modifiers
Phase Compatibility	Water Phase
Application Area	Body, Face, Hair, Scalp
Product Type Suitability	Bath Products, Cleansers, Conditioners, Gels, Hair Styling, Shampoos
Certifications	Biodegradable, COSMOS Approved, Ecocert Approved, Naturally Derived, Vegan
Physical Form	Powder

Frequently Asked Questions About AccessGUAR CAT-140

It’s a 2-in-1 ingredient. It acts as a conditioning agent to make hair and skin feel soft and smooth, and it also works as a thickener to give your product a rich, gel-like texture.

Use a small amount, typically between 0.2% and 2%. For a conditioning shampoo, start with around 0.3–0.5%. For a rinse-off conditioner or a thick body wash, consider 1–1.5%.

The easiest method is to first mix the powder into a small amount of glycerin until you have a smooth paste. Then add that paste to your water while stirring well. This prevents the powder from forming clumps when it hits the water.

Regular guar gum is primarily a thickener. AccessGUAR CAT-140 is a modified, cationic version that carries a positive charge. This allows it to bond to hair and skin for conditioning, detangling, and smoothing benefits that regular guar gum cannot provide.

Yes. It is derived from natural, renewable guar beans, making it a great choice for natural or plant-based products. It is also biodegradable.

Yes, it is generally considered very gentle and is often used in mild cleansers and body washes to improve skin feel and reduce the irritation potential of surfactants.

No. It is cold-process compatible. Ensure thorough dispersion and hydration in the water phase to activate its thickening and conditioning properties.

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