Abstract: Personal care compositions an emulsion has an oil phase, a water phase, and a mixed hydrophobe, non-ionic, water-soluble, hydrophobically modified polysaccharide composition comprising a non-ionic water-soluble polysaccharide backbone having at least one C3-C8 short chain hydrophobic group and at least one C9-C24 long chain hydrophobic group attached thereon. This emulsion can be used in a variety of end use applications including textiles, leather, metal treatments, food, pharmaceuticals, paints, agricultural chemicals, polymerization, cleaning and polishing applications, and ore and petroleum recovery. In particular the emulsion is of use in personal care formulation where the emulsion is a component of a vehicle system of the formulation. At least one active personal care ingredient or electrolytes is also present.