Abstract: A thickener for products for topical application such as personal care products for application to the skin or hair, or topically administrable pharmaceutical preparations, comprises a water-in-oil emulsion containing polymeric material, at least 98% of which polymeric material is soluble in the aqueous phase. The polymeric material comprises units derived from (a) acrylamide, (b) 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane-sulphonic acid (AMPS) and (c) a polyfunctional monomer, present in an amount of from 0.12 to 2 milliequivalents per mol of total monomer units. At least some of the AMPS units are in the form of a neutral salt such that the aqueous phase of the water in oil emulsion has a pH of at least 5.5.

Abstract: A thickener for products for topical application such as personal care products for application to the skin or hair, or topically administrable pharmaceutical preparations, comprises a water-in-oil emulsion containing polymeric material, at least 98% of which polymeric material is soluble in the aqueous phase. The polymeric material comprises units derived from (a) acrylamide, (b) 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane-sulphonic acid (AMPS) and (c) a polyfunctional monomer, present in an amount of from 0.12 to 2 milliequivalents per mol of total monomer units. At least some of the AMPS units are in the form of a neutral salt such that the aqueous phase of the water in oil emulsion has a pH of at least 5.5.

Abstract: A method of producing a prepasted wallcovering comprises applying to a substrate a paste composition comprising a water-in-oil emulsion of a water-soluble polymer which is essentially wholly anionic but contains a small amount of crosslinking residues derived from a polyfunctional monomer. The composition additionally contains a surfactant and has a pH of at least 7.The method is especially applicable to the production of prepasted wallcoverings which require a subsequent heat treatment step, the composition being designed to withstand temperatures of at least 200.degree. C.