Which Carbomer grade should I use for a clear gel?

AM-940 is the high-viscosity clarity workhorse — think clear gels and jelly textures, with exceptional clarity and strong thickening power. If you need the low-viscosity, high-flow version for lotions or eye drops, reach for AM-941 instead. Both deliver excellent clarity but sit at opposite ends of the viscosity spectrum, which is exactly why the mix-up is one of the most common — and most avoidable — formulation errors.

What's the real difference between AM-U20 and AM-U21?

In dispersion they behave almost identically: both disperse easily with low foam and don't need vigorous stirring. The difference is viscosity and thickening strength — AM-U21 delivers higher viscosity and a stronger thickening effect, which is why it suits high-viscosity gels and cream-type products, while AM-U20 fits sunscreens and general skincare. The choice comes down to target texture, not familiarity.

Which Carbomer grade works for suspensions and exfoliating formulas?

AM-2020. It has low viscosity with excellent particle suspension, so it's the go-to for scrubs, exfoliating cleansers, and toothpaste-type formulas where solid particles need to stay suspended. None of the higher-viscosity grades do this — they'd hold particles rigidly or let them sediment over time.

Carbomer Selection Guide: AM-940, 941, 980, 981, U10, U20, U21, 2020 & U30

Carbomer Selection Guide: Matching the Right Grade to Your Formulation

“Which Carbomer grade should I use for a cream, a lotion, a sheet mask, a gel?” is some version of a question we hear almost every week. The short answer is that “Carbomer” isn’t one material — it’s an INCI name shared across a family of grades with genuinely different rheology, clarity, and processing behavior. Picking the wrong one is one of the most common, and most avoidable, reasons a formulation underperforms.

Here’s the full reference, grade by grade.

The Full Grade Comparison

Grade	Key Characteristics	Best For
AM-980	High viscosity, strong shear resistance, superior long-term stability, high electrolyte tolerance	Premium cosmetics, pharma gels, long-stability formulas
AM-941	Low viscosity, excellent flow, strong thixotropy, high clarity	Lotions, low-viscosity gels, eye drops
AM-940	High viscosity, strong thickening power, exceptional clarity	Clear gels, jelly textures, sheet mask essence
AM-981	Medium viscosity (between 940 and 941), good flow	Lotions, creams, topical drug bases
AM-U20	Easy dispersion, no vigorous stirring needed, smooth gel after neutralization, low foam	Sunscreens, general skincare
AM-U21	Similar dispersion profile to U20, higher viscosity, stronger thickening effect	High-viscosity gels, cream-type products
AM-2020	Low viscosity, excellent suspension for solid particles	Suspensions, toothpaste, exfoliating cleansers
AM-U10	Self-wetting polymer, short-flow rheology, fast water-melt feel, watery skin feel	Water-based gels
AM-U30	Easy-dispersing polymer, short-flow rheology, strong electrolyte tolerance	Especially suited for acidic formulation systems

Full specifications, TDS, and COA for the AM-980, AM-981, and U-series grades live on their product pages; for the rest of the family, the full Carbomer range is a good starting point.

Carbomer Selection Guide — the full grade comparison at a glance

The Grades That Trip Up Most Formulators

A few pairs on this list look nearly interchangeable on paper — and that’s exactly where mistakes happen.

AM-940 vs. AM-941. The names differ by one digit, and both deliver excellent clarity, but they sit at opposite ends of the viscosity spectrum. AM-940 is the high-viscosity clarity workhorse — think clear gels and jelly textures. AM-941 is the low-viscosity, high-flow option built for lotions and eye drops. Reach for the wrong one and you’ll either get a lotion that won’t pour or a gel that won’t hold its shape. Both are part of the full Carbomer range.

AM-U20 vs. AM-U21. These two are nearly identical in dispersion behavior — both disperse easily with low foam and don’t need vigorous stirring. The real difference is viscosity and thickening strength. AM-U20 sits in the easy-dispersion, general-skincare tier, while AM-U21 is the higher-viscosity version for gels and cream-type products. The choice here comes down to target texture, not which grade happens to be more familiar.

AM-2020. This is the grade most formulators forget exists — until they need genuine suspension power for scrub particles, exfoliating beads, or toothpaste-type formulas, where AM-2020’s low viscosity and strong particle suspension profile does something none of the higher-viscosity grades can.

The Bottom Line

Every grade above shares the same INCI listing — “Carbomer” — but that single label is doing a lot of work to hide real differences in electrolyte tolerance, shear sensitivity, and clarity. Match the grade to the process, not just the name, and most of the “why isn’t my gel behaving” troubleshooting never has to happen in the first place.

We supply the full Carbomer range — AM-940, AM-941, AM-980, AM-981, AM-U10, AM-U20, AM-U21, AM-2020, and AM-U30 — alongside PVP and PVPP, with TDS and COA available for every grade.

Not sure which grade fits your formulation? Send over your target texture and application and we’ll help narrow it down.

Request Free 500g Evaluation Samples on WhatsApp

Or email us at sales@pvpmaterials.com

Not sure which Carbomer grade fits your target texture? Contact us for samples, a COA, and a TDS, or browse the full Carbomer range.