The invention relates to the dehairing (depilating) of animal pelts, hides or skins, more specifically to depilatory paint and depilatory paint (depilation paint) thickener used in the depilation process in for example fellmongeries. The invention provides a depilatory paint thickener comprising a starch containing essentially only amylopectin molecules. Such thickener, is among other things, easily soluble in cold water; improves diffusion of chemicals (like sulfide or lime) throughout the skin; improves viscosity or resistance to shear of a paint, whereby less starch is needed to exert a similar effect; and increases the suspendability of a lime, allowing less time to be used which creates environmental advantages in waste disposal.