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Polyethylene

What Polyethylene is & what it does

A plastic bead historically used as a smooth physical exfoliant, now widely phased out for environmental reasons. It buffs skin gently where still used.

What is Polyethylene and what does it do in sunscreen?

Polyethylene is a synthetic polymer, the same family of material as common plastic. In cosmetics it has been used as a smooth physical exfoliant bead and as a thickener or texture agent to give products body and a smooth glide. In stick and balm sunscreens it can help structure the formula, though its use as a scrub bead has been widely phased out.

Is Polyethylene safe?

Yes, for skin. Polyethylene is inert and non-irritating on the surface of the skin, which is why it was long used in scrubs and texture agents. The main concern with it is environmental rather than personal: plastic microbeads do not break down, so they have been restricted in many places. In leave-on products it acts only as a surface texture ingredient.

Does Polyethylene clog pores?

Generally no. Polyethylene is an inert plastic used as a bead or texture agent rather than a pore-filling oil, so it is considered non-comedogenic. It sits on the surface and does not behave like a greasy ingredient. If you are breaking out, the richer emollients in a formula are the more likely cause.

Why is Polyethylene being phased out?

It is being phased out mainly for environmental reasons, not safety on the skin. As a plastic, polyethylene microbeads do not biodegrade and can pollute waterways, which led many regions to ban plastic microbeads in rinse-off products. Brands have increasingly replaced it with biodegradable scrub particles and alternative texturizers.

Is Polyethylene natural?

No, it is synthetic. Polyethylene is a man-made polymer produced from petrochemicals, so it does not occur in nature. It is chemically inert on the skin, which is what made it useful, but its plastic nature is exactly why it has fallen out of favor.

Sunscreens with Polyethylene

We rate 190 sunscreens that contain it, showing the top 10 by overall score:

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