Vinyl Caprolactam/VP/Dimethylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer

Vinyl Caprolactam/VP/Dimethylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer 1
AKA: Vinyl Caprolactam/VP/DMAEMA Copolymer
Synthetic
Occlusive
Skin Conditioner
Not Clean
2-Propenoic acid, 2-methyl-, 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl ester, polymer with 1-ethenylhexahydro-2H-azepin-2-one and 1-ethenyl-2-pyrrolidinone
Effective at 5.15%
CAS #
102972-64-5
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.
Hair Fixing
Skin Conditioning
A catch-all term for ingredients that improve how skin looks and feels — softer, smoother, more supple. The workhorse behind most moisturizers.
Locks in moisture
Traditional Use
A synthetic terpolymer created in the late 20th century specifically engineered to enhance texture, hold, and conditioning effects in cosmetic formulations, particularly in hair care products.
EWG
4
CIR
Safe as used
Pregnancy
Caution
CIR Safety Findings
Not a Sensitizer
medical-approval
all-shades-safe
Concentration Guide
3.0%
7.3%
0%10%
Reported use
CIR reported use: 3-7.3
Regulatory Status
USA✔ permitted
EU⚠ restricted
JAPAN⚠ restricted
CANADA⚠ restricted
Skin Types
●all-skin-types
Best For
General
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe
Caution
The paper trail
🔬Peer-reviewednone on file
⚖️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