Polyacrylate-12

AKA: PAA-12

Synthetic

Occlusive

Skin Conditioner

Not Clean

Copolymer of C3-11 acrylate, styrene, methacrylic acid monomers

CAS #

-

Form

Powder

Functions

Film Forming

Creates a physical seal on skin to lock moisture in and keep irritants out. The "slugging" ingredient — barrier protection.

Nail Conditioning

A catch-all term for ingredients that improve how skin looks and feels — softer, smoother, more supple. The workhorse behind most moisturizers.

Creates Protective Barrier

Creates protective layer

Strengthens nails

Traditional Use

A synthetic polymer created for the cosmetics industry to function as a thickening and film-forming agent in skincare and personal care 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

Skin Types

●all-skin-types

Best For

General

Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe

Yes

The paper trail

🔬Peer-reviewednone on file

⚖️Regulatory1 listing →

🛡️Safety-assessed1 review →

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

Verified Jun 2026

Data: CosIng · EWG · CIR