Step 1: Pick a Color and a Base. Choose the bead color for your brand, and pair it with a thickened or suspendable base so the beads stay evenly floating instead of sinking to the bottom.
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Step 2: Add at the Cool-Down. Stir the beads in once the base has cooled below 40°C. Adding them to a hot mix can make them burst early, so the cool-down step keeps them intact until the customer uses the product.
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Step 3: Set the Amount for the Effect You Want. Use roughly 1 to 5 percent depending on how many beads you want visible. A light scatter looks clean and considered; too many can look crowded and settle. Blend gently so you do not crush them.
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Step 4: Check Suspension and Fill. Let the batch stand and confirm the beads stay suspended over time. If they sink, thicken the base a little more, then fill into clear packaging where the beads show.
About Bursting Beads
Bursting beads are small, water-based spheres that carry oils or actives inside a soft shell and release them when you rub the product onto the skin. In a clear gel or face wash they do two jobs at once: they make the product look active and considered, and they deliver a small dose of oil or active exactly at the point of use. In a product with a lot of water, the beads slowly absorb liquid and swell over a few days, then break down and release their contents on application. That is why they are a favorite finishing touch in cleansers, gels, serums, and body washes.
The trick to using them well is suspension. Beads only look good if they stay evenly floating, which needs a thickened or suspendable base rather than a thin liquid. Add them late, in the cool-down phase, so they do not burst before they reach the shelf. Every bead here is documented and made in a WHO-GMP and ISO 9001:2015 certified facility with a COA on request. Build the base with our thickeners or start from a ready suspendable base, and add exfoliation with our cosmetic scrubs.
Good to Know
Tip 1: Suspend, do not let them sink. Beads need a thickened or suspendable base to stay evenly floating. In a thin liquid they settle to the bottom and the effect is lost.
Tip 2: Add cool and gentle. Stir beads in below 40°C and mix gently. Heat or hard stirring bursts them early, so they need to go in near the end of the process.
Tip 3: Preserve the water base. A water-based gel or wash carrying beads still needs a broad-spectrum preservative. Ask for the COA to confirm the identity of your batch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bursting beads are small, colored, water-based spheres that hold oils or active ingredients inside a soft shell. Suspended in a clear gel or face wash, they make the product look active and then burst when rubbed on the skin, releasing their contents at the point of use. They are used for both visual appeal and active delivery.
Pair them with a thickened or suspendable base so they stay floating, then stir them in during the cool-down phase below 40°C so they do not burst early. Use around 1 to 5 percent depending on the look you want, blend gently to avoid crushing them, and confirm they stay suspended before filling.
Those visible beads are usually bursting beads or solid beads that carry a small amount of oil, vitamin, or active. They add a polished, active look to the product and release their contents when you massage it in. Some are purely decorative, while others deliver a functional dose of an ingredient.
Bursting beads break down and release their oils and actives when you rub the product onto the skin, so they disappear as you massage them in. They are designed to burst on application rather than sit on the skin, which is different from firmer exfoliating beads that are used to buff the surface.
Use a base thick enough to hold them, either by adding a thickener like carbomer or xanthan gum or by starting from a ready suspendable base. If the beads sink, the base is too thin, so thicken it a little more and retest. A well-suspended bead stays evenly floating for the life of the product.
A typical range is 1 to 5 percent, adjusted to how many beads you want visible. A light scatter often looks cleaner than a crowded mix, and too many beads can settle or crush during mixing. Start low, judge the look in clear packaging, and increase only if you want a denser effect.
No. The plastic microbeads that were banned were tiny, solid, non-biodegradable exfoliants. Bursting beads are soft, water-based delivery spheres that break down on use, and modern exfoliating beads are made from materials like jojoba or cellulose. Check each product's material if a plastic-free or biodegradable claim matters to you.
