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Polyacrylamide

What Polyacrylamide is & what it does

A thickener and stabilizer that gives a smooth, cushiony feel and helps suspend ingredients evenly. It is usually supplied in a light liquid carrier.

What is Polyacrylamide and what does it do in sunscreen?

Polyacrylamide is a synthetic polymer used as a thickener and stabilizer. In a sunscreen it gives a smooth, cushiony feel and helps keep the other ingredients, including the UV filters, suspended evenly so the formula stays uniform. It is usually supplied in a light liquid carrier, which is why you often see it alongside ingredients like C13-14 Isoparaffin or Laureth-7 on the label.

Is Polyacrylamide safe?

Yes, as used in cosmetics. The polymer itself is large and stays on the surface of the skin rather than penetrating, and it has a long history of use in lotions, gels and sunscreens. The point experts watch is residual acrylamide, a trace by-product of manufacturing, which reputable suppliers keep to very low limits. The finished polymer is not the same as that monomer.

Does Polyacrylamide clog pores?

Generally no. It is a film-forming thickener, not an oil or wax, and it is used in small amounts, so it is not a typical pore-clogging ingredient. If a product breaks you out, the richer emollients or oils elsewhere in the formula are the more likely cause.

Is Polyacrylamide a preservative?

No. Polyacrylamide is a thickener and stabilizer, not a preservative, and it does nothing to stop microbes growing. The preserving in a sunscreen is handled by ingredients like phenoxyethanol, the glycols or ethylhexylglycerin.

Is Polyacrylamide vegan?

Yes. It is a fully synthetic polymer made in a lab from petrochemical building blocks, with no animal-derived material, so it is suitable for vegan formulas.

Sunscreens with Polyacrylamide

We rate 189 sunscreens that contain it, showing the top 10 by overall score:

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