Acacia Senegal Gum, or Gum arabic, is derived from the Acacia Senegal tree. This natural gum is a complex polysaccharide made from hardened sap from Acacia trees.
It’s been used for thousands of years and loved for its wide range of uses. It’s a complex mixture of calcium, magnesium, and potassium salts of arabic acid. It has a mild smell so it generally doesn’t change the product scent by much.
This plant-based ingredient can help soothe the skin but it’s commonly used as a thickening agent. Acacia Senegal Gum can also help skincare products stick to the skin. This is helpful for products such as sunscreen, makeup, and facial masks.
It’s largely used for it’s texture enhancing properties but it offers direct benefits to the skin as well. These same properties can also act as an emollient to help lock in moisture. According to Botani, this ingredient can also help reduce eye puffiness based on its anti-inflammatory properties. That combined with its astringent properties help it tighten skin for a firmed and toned appearance.
