Polyacrylamide
molecular structure · PubChem
AKA: PAM, Acrylamide Homopolymer
Synthetic
Occlusive
Not Clean
2-Propenamide, homopolymer
Effective at 3.9%
CAS #
9003-05-8
Form
Liquid
Functions
Antistatic
Binding
Film Forming
Creates a physical seal on skin to lock moisture in and keep irritants out. The "slugging" ingredient — barrier protection.
Moisturizing
Wound Healing
Strengthens Barrier
Creates protective layer
Reduces flyaways
Holds ingredients together
Traditional Use
Developed in the 1950s as a synthetic polymer for industrial water treatment. Adopted by the cosmetics industry in the 1970s as a thickening and film-forming agent in gels and creams.
EWG
6
CIR
Safe as used
Pregnancy
Caution
CIR Safety Findings
Not an Irritant
medical-approval
all-shades-safe
Concentration Guide
2.8%
5.0%
0%7%
Reported use
CIR reported use: .03-3 | .05-2.8
Regulatory Agencies
Skin Types
●all-skin-types
Best For
General
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe
Caution
The paper trail
🔬Peer-reviewed1 paper →
⚖️Regulatory1 listing →
🛡️Safety-assessed3 reviews →
Counts, not a verdict. A listing isn't a study. The trail, you decide.
Verified Jun 2026
Data: CosIng · EWG · CIR