Nylon-6

AKA: Polyamide 6, PA6, Polycaprolactam

Synthetic

Clean

2-H-Azepin-2-one, hexahydro-, homopolymer

CAS #

25038-54-4

Form

Powder

Functions

Bulking

Viscosity Controlling

Adds Body & Volume

Controls Viscosity

Adds volume

Controls product thickness

Traditional Use

Synthetic polyamide polymer created in the 20th century. Used in cosmetics as a microabrasive exfoliant and performance enhancer in cleansing and skincare products.

EWG

CIR

Safe as used

Pregnancy

Yes

CIR Safety Findings

medical-approval

all-shades-safe

Regulatory Status

USA✔ permitted

EU⚠ restricted

JAPAN⚠ restricted

CANADA⚠ restricted

Regulatory Agencies

EWG CIR FDA EU COSING Health Canada

Skin Types

●all-skin-types

Best For

General

Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe

Yes

The paper trail

🔬Peer-reviewed1 paper →

⚖️Regulatory1 listing →

🛡️Safety-assessed2 reviews →

Counts, not a verdict. A listing isn't a study. The trail, you decide.

Verified Jun 2026

Data: CosIng · EWG · CIR