Polyamide-3 ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is primarily a synthetic film-former and binder, used to improve wear, adhesion, and structure in color cosmetics, hair products, and similar formulas.
What does Polyamide-3 do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is primarily a synthetic film-former and binder, used to improve wear, adhesion, and structure in color cosmetics, hair products, and similar formulas.
Is Polyamide-3 clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, it is generally low in direct irritation because the molecule is large and not very skin-penetrating. The main friction is that it is a synthetic polymer, so some standards screen it out based on biodegradability and microplastic-policy concerns rather than routine skin tolerance.
Is Polyamide-3 sustainable?
This material is typically made from petrochemical-derived building blocks and is not considered readily biodegradable. Its environmental profile depends on particle form and removal pathway, but persistence is the central concern.
Is Polyamide-3 COSMOS-approved?
It is not aligned with COSMOS-natural or COSMOS-organic because it is a synthetic polymer outside the permitted natural-origin framework. Its Green Chemistry fit is limited, since it relies on nonrenewable feedstocks and has poor end-of-life biodegradability.
How does Polyamide-3 work chemically?
The molecule is a high-molecular-weight condensation polymer with repeating amide linkages, which gives cohesive film formation and binding rather than classic small-molecule activity. It is generally water-insoluble, stable under normal cosmetic pH ranges, and used at low single-digit to moderate levels depending on whether the formula needs light binding or stronger film structure.
Last updated 2026-05-13