Aqueous-based functional products such as household or commercial cleansers, household products, commercial products, and personal care products are thickened or viscosity-modified by the addition of at least one crystalline mixed metal hydroxide of the formula LimDdT(OH)(m+2d+3+n.a)Aa .xH2O, where m is zero to one, D is a divalent metal, d is from zero to 4, T is a trivalent metal, A is at least one anion or negative-valence radical of valence n, where n is 1 or more, (m+2d+3+n.a) is equal to or greater than 3, (m+d) is greater than zero, and xH2O is waters of hydration.