ACRYLATES/PALMETH-25 ACRYLATE COPOLYMER ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is primarily a rheology modifier and emulsion stabilizer. It thickens water-based formulas, helps suspend particles, and can add light film-forming feel.
What does ACRYLATES/PALMETH-25 ACRYLATE COPOLYMER do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is primarily a rheology modifier and emulsion stabilizer. It thickens water-based formulas, helps suspend particles, and can add light film-forming feel.
Is ACRYLATES/PALMETH-25 ACRYLATE COPOLYMER clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, it has friction because it is a synthetic polymer and may be flagged under microplastic or persistent-polymer policies. Ethoxylated components can also raise trace-residue questions, mainly ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane, when purification controls are not clear.
Is ACRYLATES/PALMETH-25 ACRYLATE COPOLYMER sustainable?
This material is partly linked to palm-derived fatty feedstocks and partly to petrochemical monomers. It is not readily biodegradable, so its environmental profile is weaker than that of simpler plant-derived thickeners.
Is ACRYLATES/PALMETH-25 ACRYLATE COPOLYMER COSMOS-approved?
It is not permitted under COSMOS organic or natural standards as a synthetic polymer. Its Green Chemistry alignment is limited because it relies on conventional polymerization, ethoxylation chemistry, and poor biodegradability, even though one feedstock stream may be renewable.
How does ACRYLATES/PALMETH-25 ACRYLATE COPOLYMER work chemically?
The molecule is a high-molecular-weight associative polymer with a hydrophilic charged backbone and long ethoxylated fatty side chains that build viscosity through water swelling and hydrophobe association. It is typically used at low levels in aqueous gels and emulsions, works best after neutralization to around skin-friendly pH, and can lose viscosity in high-electrolyte systems.
Last updated 2026-05-13