Crosspolymer-6 ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is a rheology modifier that builds gel texture, stabilizes emulsions, and helps suspend particles or pigments. It is used when a formula needs viscosity, a smooth feel, and stability across a range of product formats.
What does Crosspolymer-6 do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is a rheology modifier that builds gel texture, stabilizes emulsions, and helps suspend particles or pigments. It is used when a formula needs viscosity, a smooth feel, and stability across a range of product formats.
Is Crosspolymer-6 clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, it carries friction because it is a synthetic persistent polymer rather than a biodegradable cosmetic active. It is generally used at low levels and is not mainly flagged for skin irritation, but it can appear on restricted lists focused on microplastics or non-biodegradable polymers.
Is Crosspolymer-6 sustainable?
This material is typically made from petrochemical feedstocks and is not considered readily biodegradable. Its main sustainability concern is environmental persistence after rinse-off use, especially as regulations tighten around intentionally added synthetic polymer particles.
Is Crosspolymer-6 COSMOS-approved?
It is not aligned with COSMOS-natural or COSMOS-organic standards because it is a synthetic persistent polymer. From a Green Chemistry lens, it scores poorly on renewable sourcing and end-of-life biodegradability, even though it can improve formula stability at low use levels.
How does Crosspolymer-6 work chemically?
The molecule is a high-molecular-weight, crosslinked anionic synthetic polymer with carboxylate-rich segments that hydrate into a three-dimensional network. Typical use levels are about 0.1% to 2%, with strong thickening and suspension performance across mildly acidic to neutral pH ranges and useful tolerance to salts and surfactants.
Last updated 2026-05-15