Polyester-1 ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is a film-forming resin used to create a smooth, glossy, durable coating, especially in nail color and long-wear color cosmetics. It helps adhesion, wear, and resistance to chipping or transfer.
What does Polyester-1 do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is a film-forming resin used to create a smooth, glossy, durable coating, especially in nail color and long-wear color cosmetics. It helps adhesion, wear, and resistance to chipping or transfer.
Is Polyester-1 clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, the main friction is not acute skin tolerance, since high-molecular-weight resins are usually low-penetration, but its status as a synthetic plastic-like film former. It may be restricted by retailers or standards that screen out persistent synthetic polymers.
Is Polyester-1 sustainable?
This material is typically made from petrochemical monomers. It is not readily biodegradable and can contribute to persistent polymer residue from color-cosmetic wear and removal.
Is Polyester-1 COSMOS-approved?
It is not permitted under COSMOS-organic or COSMOS-natural because it is a synthetic, non-naturally derived polymer rather than an allowed natural or nature-derived ingredient. Its Green Chemistry alignment is weak, mainly because of nonrenewable feedstocks and poor end-of-life biodegradation.
How does Polyester-1 work chemically?
The molecule is a high-molecular-weight condensation resin containing ester linkages, designed to form a hard, continuous film as volatile carriers evaporate. It is generally water-insoluble, stable in anhydrous and solvent-based formulas, and susceptible to ester hydrolysis only under strong acidic or alkaline conditions; exact use levels vary by application, with higher levels in nail systems than in skin-care formulas.
Last updated 2026-08-15