Nylon-6/12

TL;DR. This ingredient is used as a sensory powder, bulking agent, absorbent, and soft-focus texturizer in makeup, sunscreens, and skin-care formulas. It improves slip, reduces greasiness, and helps create a smoother-looking finish.

What does Nylon-6/12 do in a cosmetic formula?

This ingredient is used as a sensory powder, bulking agent, absorbent, and soft-focus texturizer in makeup, sunscreens, and skin-care formulas. It improves slip, reduces greasiness, and helps create a smoother-looking finish.

Is Nylon-6/12 clean?

It has significant clean-standard friction because it is a synthetic solid plastic powder used mainly for sensory effects, and many restricted-substance policies scrutinize non-biodegradable microplastic particles. Skin tolerance is generally good, so the concern is driven more by material class and end-of-life profile than irritation.

Is Nylon-6/12 sustainable?

This material is typically made from fossil-derived monomers and is not readily biodegradable. In rinse-off formats, fine particles may enter wastewater streams and persist in the environment.

Is Nylon-6/12 COSMOS-approved?

This ingredient is not aligned with COSMOS-natural or COSMOS-organic principles because it is a synthetic polymeric powder and does not meet biodegradability expectations. From a Green Chemistry view, its fossil feedstock and persistence are the main drawbacks.

How does Nylon-6/12 work chemically?

The molecule is a copolymer built from repeating amide units with both shorter and longer aliphatic segments, giving a lightweight, oil-absorbing powder with strong slip and soft-focus effects. It is insoluble in water and oils, stable across typical cosmetic pH, and is commonly dispersed into anhydrous, emulsion, or pressed-powder systems rather than dissolved.

Last updated 2026-05-13