Abstract: The invention provides water-soluble polymers preparable by free-radical copolymerization of A) one or more macromonomers containing an end-group capable of polymerization, a hydrophilic moiety based on polyalkylene oxides, and a hydrophobic moiety which comprises hydrogen or a saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched, aliphatic, cycloaliphatic or aromatic (C1-C30)-hydrocarbon radical, and B) one or more olefinically unsaturated comonomers which contain oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, chlorine and/or fluorine. The polymers are suitable as thickeners, dispersing agents, emulsifiers, suspending agents, stabilizers and/or bodying agents for aqueous preparations, emulsions and suspensions, in particular for cosmetic and pharmaceutical compositions.