Potassium Acrylates/Acrylamide Copolymer

AKA: Acrylic polymer, Thickening agent

Synthetic

Occlusive

Not Clean

Potassium salt of acrylates/acrylamide copolymer

Form

Liquid

State

Solid

Functions

Film Forming

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

Creates Protective Barrier

Traditional Use

A synthetic polymer developed for cosmetics in the late 20th century. Designed to create desired texture and viscosity in skincare and hair care formulations.

EWG

CIR

Safe as used

Pregnancy

Yes

CIR Safety Findings

medical-approval

all-shades-safe

Mild Irritant

Regulatory Status

USA✔ permitted

EU✔ permitted

JAPAN✔ permitted

CANADA✔ permitted

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-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