Hydroxypropyl Starch ●
TL;DR. It is primarily a texture and absorbency modifier, used to take down greasiness, improve slip, add a soft powder feel, and support viscosity in creams, lotions, powders, and dry shampoos.
What does Hydroxypropyl Starch do in a cosmetic formula?
It is primarily a texture and absorbency modifier, used to take down greasiness, improve slip, add a soft powder feel, and support viscosity in creams, lotions, powders, and dry shampoos.
Is Hydroxypropyl Starch clean?
It generally has a low irritation and sensitization profile and is not a common clean-standard restricted-list trigger. The main clean-beauty caveat is its chemical modification step, with quality dependent on tight control of residual processing reagents.
Is Hydroxypropyl Starch sustainable?
It is typically made from renewable crop-derived glucose polymers and is expected to be biodegradable. Its profile is moderated by agricultural inputs and the petrochemical reagent commonly used to modify the base material.
Is Hydroxypropyl Starch COSMOS-approved?
It can be compatible with COSMOS-natural when sourced and processed to the standard, but acceptance is supplier-specific and certification-dependent. Its Green Chemistry fit is moderate, with a renewable biodegradable backbone offset by a synthetic modification step.
How does Hydroxypropyl Starch work chemically?
The molecule is a glucose-polymer powder with a limited number of ether-linked short alcohol side groups, which improves swelling, slip, oil pickup, and dispersion versus the unmodified base polymer. Typical use levels are about 0.5 to 10% depending on format, with higher levels possible in absorbent powders, and it is generally stable across normal cosmetic pH while strong enzymes or harsh acid/base conditions can break the polymer down.
Last updated 2026-05-16