Sodium Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

AKA: Carbopol, Acrylate Polymer Thickener

Synthetic

Occlusive

Clean

C10-30 Alkyl propenoate, polymer with 2-propenoic acid, 2-methyl-2-propenoic acidand/or one of their simple esters, product with 2-propenyl sucrose ether or 2-propenyl 2,2-dihydroxymethyl-1,3-propanediol ether, sodium salts

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.

Anti-Inflammatory

Antimicrobial

Fights Acne

Creates protective layer

Traditional Use

A modern synthetic crosspolymer developed in the 20th century for cosmetics as a thickening agent and emulsion stabilizer, designed to replace traditional natural gums and resins.

EWG

CIR

Safe as used

Pregnancy

Caution

CIR Safety Findings

Not a Sensitizer

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

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