Acrylamide/Ammonium Acrylate Copolymer

TL;DR. This ingredient is a synthetic film-former and rheology modifier used to thicken formulas, improve slip, suspend particles, and help gels or emulsions hold their structure.

What does Acrylamide/Ammonium Acrylate Copolymer do in a cosmetic formula?

This ingredient is a synthetic film-former and rheology modifier used to thicken formulas, improve slip, suspend particles, and help gels or emulsions hold their structure.

Is Acrylamide/Ammonium Acrylate Copolymer clean?

From a clean-beauty perspective, it faces friction because it is a synthetic polymer with potential trace residual starting monomers that responsible suppliers control by specification. It is generally low-irritation in finished formulas, but many stricter standards scrutinize it for persistence and impurity management.

Is Acrylamide/Ammonium Acrylate Copolymer sustainable?

This material is typically made from petrochemical feedstocks and is not considered readily biodegradable. Its high molecular weight limits skin penetration, but it can persist in wastewater and aquatic environments after rinse-off use.

Is Acrylamide/Ammonium Acrylate Copolymer COSMOS-approved?

It is not permitted under COSMOS-natural or COSMOS-organic standards as a conventional synthetic polymer. Its Green Chemistry fit is weak because it relies on nonrenewable feedstocks and has limited biodegradability, even though it can help stabilize water-based formulas at low use levels.

How does Acrylamide/Ammonium Acrylate Copolymer work chemically?

The molecule is an anionic, high-molecular-weight vinyl copolymer built from amide-bearing and carboxylate-salt-bearing repeat units, which hydrate in water to create viscosity and film formation. Typical use is often around 0.1% to 3% depending on the supplied dispersion and desired texture, and performance is influenced by electrolytes, neutralization state, shear, and the formula’s water phase.

Last updated 2026-08-17