Ethylene/Propylene Copolymer ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is a synthetic film-forming and structuring polymer used to add slip, bind pigments, thicken oil phases, and improve water resistance or wear in color cosmetics, sticks, balms, and skin-care textures.
What does Ethylene/Propylene Copolymer do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is a synthetic film-forming and structuring polymer used to add slip, bind pigments, thicken oil phases, and improve water resistance or wear in color cosmetics, sticks, balms, and skin-care textures.
Is Ethylene/Propylene Copolymer clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, it carries friction because it is a non-biodegradable synthetic plastic polymer rather than a readily renewable material. It is generally low-irritation for skin, but many clean frameworks flag persistent solid polymers and petrochemical-derived materials.
Is Ethylene/Propylene Copolymer sustainable?
It is typically made from fossil-derived feedstocks and is not readily biodegradable. Its main environmental issue is persistence as a solid polymer, with end-of-life behavior depending on particle size, product format, and wastewater capture.
Is Ethylene/Propylene Copolymer COSMOS-approved?
It is not permitted under COSMOS-natural or COSMOS-organic because it is a synthetic petrochemical polymer. It aligns poorly with Green Chemistry goals on renewable sourcing and biodegradation, even though the finished material is chemically stable and low-reactivity.
How does Ethylene/Propylene Copolymer work chemically?
The molecule is a saturated hydrocarbon chain built by copolymerizing two small alkene monomers, yielding a nonpolar, waxy to rubbery solid depending on molecular weight and monomer ratio. It is insoluble in water, stable across normal cosmetic pH ranges, resistant to oxidation versus unsaturated oils, and is usually dispersed or melted into anhydrous oils and pigmented systems rather than added to water phases.
Last updated 2026-05-13