Thickener-rheology modifier system for personal care compositions

A thickened personal care composition comprising a cosmetically-functional agent in amounts effective to impart cosmetic properties to the composition and a thickener-rheology modifier system comprising

• a) from about 0.1 to 2.5% by weight of a hydrophobically modified alkali-soluble copolymer thickener comprising an aqueous emulsion copolymer of:
• i) from about 5 to 70 weight percent based on the weight of thickener of an α, β ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid monomer of the formula:
• where R is H and R1 is H, C1–C4 alkyl, or —CH2COOX;
• R is —COOX and R1 is H or —CH2COOX and R is CH3 and K1 H, C1–C4 alkyl or —CH2COOX, and X is H or C1–C4 alkyl;
• ii) from about 10 to 90 weight percent based on the weight of thickener of a nonionic copolymerizable, α, β ethylenically unsaturated monomer of the formula:
• CH2═CYZ
• where Y is H or CH3, and Z is
• where R is C1–C4 alkyl;
• and
• iii) from about 1 to 90 weight percent based on the weight of thickener of a hydrophobically modified, α, β ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid monomer of the formula:
• where R is an alkyl group of 6 to 22 carbon atoms or an alkaryl of 8 to 22 carbon atoms, x is an average number of from about 6 to 100, y is an average number of from about 0 to 50 and A is the residue of an unsaturated carboxylic acid having the formula:
• where R′ is H, —COOH or CH3, and R″ is H, CH3, —COOH or —CH2COOH;
• b) from about 0.1 to 1% by weight of a polysaccharide hydrocolloid or polyalkylene glycol;
• c) from about 0.1 to 1% by weight of a hydrophobic nonionic surfactant having an HLB of from 4 to 16 or an anionic surfactant derivative of a fatty alcohol ethoxylate;
• d) from about 0.01 to 0.1% by weight of boric acid;
• e) an effective neutralizing amount of alkali;
• and
• f) the balance water.