Polypropylene ●
TL;DR. This ingredient functions mainly as a structuring and texture polymer, adding slip, opacity, viscosity, and physical bulk. In some rinse-off formats, it has also been used as a physical exfoliating particle.
What does Polypropylene do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient functions mainly as a structuring and texture polymer, adding slip, opacity, viscosity, and physical bulk. In some rinse-off formats, it has also been used as a physical exfoliating particle.
Is Polypropylene clean?
Clean-beauty standards often flag it because it is a synthetic, non-biodegradable solid polymer associated with microplastic restrictions, especially in rinse-off products. It is generally low-reactivity on skin, so the issue is more standards alignment and environmental persistence than sensitization.
Is Polypropylene sustainable?
This material is typically petroleum-derived and is not readily biodegradable. Its environmental profile is weak because solid particles can persist after use, particularly when they enter wastewater from rinse-off products.
Is Polypropylene COSMOS-approved?
It is not permitted under COSMOS-natural or COSMOS-organic standards as a conventional synthetic petrochemical polymer. It has poor Green Chemistry alignment because it relies on fossil feedstocks and persistence rather than renewable sourcing and ready biodegradation.
How does Polypropylene work chemically?
The molecule is a high-molecular-weight saturated hydrocarbon polymer with pendant methyl groups, giving it strong hydrophobicity, low chemical reactivity, and insolubility in water. It is broadly stable across normal cosmetic pH ranges and processing conditions, with performance driven mainly by particle size, molecular weight, and physical form rather than acid-base chemistry.
Last updated 2026-05-13