Is Polyacrylamide safe in cosmetics?
Polyacrylamide has a safety rating of "GOOD" in our database. EU status: restricted. US status: permitted.
Good
Cosmetic Ingredient
Polyacrylamide
Also known as: 2-Propenamide homopolymer, 2-Propenamide hydrochloride homopolymer, Acrylamide polymer, Acrylamide, polymers, 2-Propenamide, homopolymer (+15 more)
INCI: POLYACRYLAMIDE
Polyacrylamide (CAS 9003-05-8) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Film forming, stabiliser, viscosity increasing agent, foam builder. NOAEL 3.1 mg/kg bw/day (PDF-verified against ToxValDB ECHA IUCLID); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: restricted. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 9003-05-8 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Function
Film forming, stabiliser, viscosity increasing agent, foam builder
Safety Rating
GOOD
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
restricted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
CIR: safe as cosmetic ingredient provided residual acrylamide ≤5 ppm in finished product
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Polyacrylamide.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Pre-Calculated Safety Assessment
Pre-calculated NOAEL → SED → MoS audit trail for Polyacrylamide across SCCS product categories, with measured dermal absorption where available.
Expanded Jurisdictional Detail
Additional regulatory detail beyond the 7-jurisdiction summary: Saudi SFDA, Korea MFDS, ASEAN ACD, Japan/Korea, Brazil/India, and cross-jurisdictional restriction entries.
Additional Jurisdictional Restrictions (1)
| Jurisdiction | Status | Max % | Product Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASEAN | restricted | Leave-on body: ≤0.1 mg/kg residual acrylamide monomer; other products ≤0.5 mg/kg residual | Body lotions (leave-on); other cosmetics |
Additional Ingredient Properties
6 property records from structured ingredient metadata.
concentration
{"min_concentration_pct": "0.1", "max_concentration_pct": "1.5", "typical_concentration_pct": "0.5", "product_type": "Serum", "function_at_concentration": "Thickener", "source": "CIR Safety Assessment"}
emulsion_hlb
{"hlb_required_as_emulsifier": "no", "emulsifier_type": "o_w", "emulsion_stabilization_mechanism": "steric_stabilization", "co_emulsifier_pairs": "none_required", "optimal_oil_phase_pct": "5-20", "optimal_water_phase_pct": "80-95", "electrolyte_tolerance": "high", "pH_emulsion_stability_range": "5.0-9.0", "viscosity_building_contribution": "very_high", "droplet_size_range_um": "0.1-5", "zeta_poten…
ph_stability
{"optimal_ph_min": "3.0", "optimal_ph_max": "10.0", "stable_ph_min": "3.0", "stable_ph_max": "11.0", "ph_dependent_function": "Wide pH stability", "formulation_note": "Less pH dependent than carbomers", "source": "Formulation literature"}
polymer
{"cas_number": "9003-05-8", "ingredient_class": "thickener/film_former", "polymer_type": "synthetic_homopolymer", "chemical_backbone": "amide", "molecular_weight_Da_range": "1000000-20000000", "ionic_character": "nonionic", "viscosity_1pct_aqueous_mPas": "3000-50000", "viscosity_profile": "pseudoplastic", "pH_viscosity_sensitivity": "moderate", "salt_tolerance": "moderate", "electrolyte_effect_on_…
sensory
{"silky": "gel-like", "smooth, glides easily": "smooth, gel", "dry-touch, non-greasy": "smooth, soft", "instant": "fast", "low": "very-high", "w/o": "o/w", "very-high": "moderate", "no": "no", "yes": "no", "1.40": "1.51", "transparent": "transparent", "colorless": "colorless", "excellent": "fair", "light": "light", "synthetic": "synthetic"}
solubility_hlb
{"water_soluble": "yes", "oil_soluble": "no", "soluble_in": "water, glycerin", "insoluble_in": "oils, ethanol, silicones, propylene glycol", "log_p": "-3.5", "melting_point_c": "192-195", "appearance": "white powder", "source": "SNF"}
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Anti-slip agent
Anti-static agent
Binder
Emulsifier
Film former
Hair fixative
Thickening agent
Regulatory List Membership (1)
EU Restricted for Children (Cosmetics)
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Polyacrylamide.
Regulatory Flags
eu_children_restricted
Known Synonyms
2-Propenamide homopolymer
2-Propenamide hydrochloride homopolymer
Acrylamide polymer
Acrylamide, polymers
2-Propenamide, homopolymer
Polypropenamide
J 100
P 250
Aerofloc 3453
American Cyanamid P-250
BioGel P-100
Bio-Gel P 2
Flokonit E
Magnafloc R 292
Nacolyte 673
NSC 116573
NSC 116574
NSC 116575
NSC 118185
PAA-1
Chemical Function
Film former
Anti-static agent
Binder
Hair fixative
Anti-slip agent
Thickening agent
Regulatory Lists
inert_ingredient; Pesticides
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
Europe; Other direct contact consumer goods; residue
children; Europe; Personal care
fracking
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Polyacrylamide allowed in the EU?
Polyacrylamide EU regulatory status: restricted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Polyacrylamide do in cosmetics?
Polyacrylamide functions as: Film forming, stabiliser, viscosity increasing agent, foam builder. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 9003-05-8.
Compliance Tools
Check Polyacrylamide compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
Paste a full ingredient list for instant analysis
82 Allergen Checker
Check for EU declarable fragrance allergens
Substance Compliance
Check compliance across multiple jurisdictions
MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
Heavy Metal Limits
Compare limits across jurisdictions
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Good
Similar safety
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Similar safety
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Acrylonitrile/Butadiene/Styrene Copolymer
Moderate
Chemical family
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