Is PVP safe in cosmetics?
PVP has a safety rating of "EXCELLENT" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
Excellent
Cosmetic Ingredient
PVP
Also known as: K 115, Agrimer, Caswell No. 681, EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 079033, 1-Ethenyl-2-pyrrolidinone polymers (+15 more)
PVP (CAS 9003-39-8) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as film-forming, adhesion promoter, hair-fixative. EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in industrial chemical safety and pharmaceutical data.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 9003-39-8 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Function
film-forming, adhesion promoter, hair-fixative
Safety Rating
EXCELLENT
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
Permitted as inactive ingredient in cosmetics without restriction. GRAS as food additive under 21 CFR 172.210 and 173.55. Not a sunscreen active ingredient.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for PVP.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
EPA ToxValDB — Toxicity Values
5 toxicity values from EPA ToxValDB (aggregated from CCTE, HPV, ToxRefDB, IRIS, and other regulatory dossiers).
| Endpoint | Value | Species | Route | Duration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADI | <=50 mg/kg | Human | oral | - | WHO JECFA ADI |
| LD50 | =100000 mg/kg | Guinea Pig | oral | - | ChemIDplus |
| LD50 | >40000 mg/kg | Mouse | oral | - | ChemIDplus |
| LD50 | =1040 mg/kg | Rabbit | oral | - | ChemIDplus |
| LD50 | =100000 mg/kg | Rat | oral | - | ChemIDplus |
IARC Carcinogenicity
International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO) monograph evaluation.
IARC Group
3
Volume
19, Sup 7, 71
Evaluation Year
1998
Typical Use Concentrations
Reported concentration ranges per product category from SCCS/CIR/industry sources.
| Product Category | Typical Range | Max Reported | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hair Spray | 5–10 | 15 | CIR/VCRP |
| Sunscreen | 0.5–2 | 5 | CIR/VCRP |
Additional Ingredient Properties
4 property records from structured ingredient metadata.
baby_pediatric
{"cas_number": "9003-39-8", "ingredient_class": "other", "pediatric_safety_rating": "good", "minimum_age_months": "0", "neonatal_safe": "yes", "premature_infant_safe": "yes", "skin_barrier_maturity_consideration": "Polyvinylpyrrolidone, film former", "transepidermal_absorption_risk_pediatric": "very_low", "dose_per_kg_body_weight_concern": "Polymer non-absorbed", "skin_surface_area_to_weight_ratio…
hair_care
{"hair_function": "styling", "hair_type_suitability": "all", "curl_pattern_suitability": "all", "porosity_suitability": "all", "protein_sensitivity": "neutral", "moisture_protein_balance": "yes", "cg_method_approved": "not-a-silicone", "silicone_type": "not-a-sulfate", "sulfate_type": "no", "drying_alcohol": "no", "fatty_alcohol": "no", "heat_protectant": "yes", "color_safe": "neutral", "keratin_b…
polymer
{"cas_number": "9003-39-8", "ingredient_class": "film_former/hair_fixative", "polymer_type": "synthetic_homopolymer", "chemical_backbone": "vinyl_pyrrolidone", "molecular_weight_Da_range": "10000-1500000", "molecular_weight_distribution_PDI": "2.0-3.5", "glass_transition_temp_Tg_C": "175-180", "crystallinity_pct": "0", "branching_degree": "low", "ionic_character": "nonionic", "charge_density_meq_g…
regulatory
{"eu_status": "allowed", "us_status": "allowed"}
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Anti-static agent
Binder
Dispersing agent
Emulsifier
Film former
Fixing agent (mordant)
Fragrance
Hair fixative
Pharmaceutical excipient
Processing aids not otherwise specified
Regulatory List Membership (4)
EU Restricted for Children (Cosmetics)
IFRA Fragrance Transparency List
EPA Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL)
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for PVP.
Regulatory Flags
eu-unrestricted
cir-approved
gras-fda
no-sccs-opinion
eu_children_restricted
epa_safer_alternative
ifra_fragrance
fda_food_additive
Known Synonyms
K 115
Agrimer
Caswell No. 681
EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 079033
1-Ethenyl-2-pyrrolidinone polymers
Ganex p-804
Luviskol
Luviskol K30
Luviskol K90
NCI-C60582
NSC 114022
NSC 142693
Peragal ST
Periston-N
Plasdone K-26/28
Plasdone No. 4
Polyclar A. T.
Polyclar-AT
Poly(1-ethenyl-2-pyrrolidinone)
Polygyl
Chemical Function
Film former
Anti-static agent
Viscosity modifier
Emulsifier
Hair fixative
Binder
Fixing agent (mordant)
Regulatory Lists
IFRA Transparency
Canada; consumer_product; Substances in Products - Canada (4/2014)
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Australia
pharmaceutical
Europe; Personal care - oral and dental care - teeth whitener
drinking_water; Europe; manufacturing; plastic_additive
inert_ingredient; Pesticides
CEDI
food_additive; Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) (2/2019)
SCIL (9/2019)
Cleaning products and household care - laundry and fabric treatment - laundry detergent; Europe
Europe; Personal care - oral and dental care - teeth whitener
Europe; Personal care - oral and dental care - teeth whitener
pharmaceutical
Canada; pharmaceutical
Europe; Personal care - oral and dental care - teeth whitener
children; Europe; Personal care
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
Cross-Vertical Safety Context
Same-CAS public records found in pharmaceutical data.
SOURCE
ChEMBL / DrugCentral / FAERS
DB_PHARMA CAS match
Pharmaceutical Data
Same-CAS rows from the pharmaceutical spoke database.
Compound
crospovidone
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL2108139
Adverse Event Associations
89
Frequently Asked Questions
Is PVP allowed in the EU?
PVP EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does PVP do in cosmetics?
PVP functions as: film-forming, adhesion promoter, hair-fixative. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 9003-39-8.
Is PVP used outside cosmetics?
PVP also appears in industrial chemical safety and pharmaceutical data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Compliance Tools
Check PVP 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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