POLYPROPYLSILSSESQUIOXANE ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is primarily a film-former and texture modifier, helping products set, smooth the feel, reduce tack, and improve wear in makeup, sunscreen, and skin-care formulas.
What does POLYPROPYLSILSSESQUIOXANE do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is primarily a film-former and texture modifier, helping products set, smooth the feel, reduce tack, and improve wear in makeup, sunscreen, and skin-care formulas.
Is POLYPROPYLSILSSESQUIOXANE clean?
It is generally low-irritation because it is inert and high molecular weight. Clean-beauty standards often flag it due to synthetic polymer status, persistence concerns, and limited alignment with biodegradable ingredient preferences.
Is POLYPROPYLSILSSESQUIOXANE sustainable?
This material is synthetically made from silicon-based chemistry rather than renewable plant feedstocks. It is not readily biodegradable and is expected to persist in the environment as an inert polymeric residue.
Is POLYPROPYLSILSSESQUIOXANE COSMOS-approved?
It is not permitted under COSMOS-natural or COSMOS-organic standards. From a Green Chemistry lens, its low reactivity is useful for product stability, but its synthetic origin and poor biodegradability are weak points.
How does POLYPROPYLSILSSESQUIOXANE work chemically?
The molecule is a three-dimensional crosslinked organosilicon resin with propyl side groups, which gives a dry, flexible film and a powdery-smooth skin feel. It is typically used at low to moderate levels in anhydrous, emulsion, and color-cosmetic systems, and it is broadly pH-stable because it does not rely on acid-base ionization for performance.
Last updated 2026-05-15