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Sodium Polyacrylate Starch

What Sodium Polyacrylate Starch is & what it does

Sodium Polyacrylate Starch is a hybrid polymer made by grafting sodium polyacrylate onto a starch backbone. In sunscreens and creams it acts as a thickener, stabilizer, and absorbent that helps gel the water phase and hold a uniform texture. One notable property is its high capacity to bind water, which supports a light, non-greasy feel in fluid sunscreen formulas.

What does Sodium Polyacrylate Starch do in skincare?

Sodium Polyacrylate Starch is a starch-based polymer used as a thickener, stabilizer, and water absorbent. In sunscreens and creams it helps gel the water phase and gives the product a smooth, uniform texture. It can support a light, non-greasy feel because of its high water-binding capacity.

Is Sodium Polyacrylate Starch safe?

Sodium Polyacrylate Starch is used in cosmetics as a texture and stability agent and is generally considered safe at typical use levels. As a large polymer it tends to stay on the skin surface rather than penetrate. Reactions are uncommon, but anyone with very sensitive skin can patch test a new product first.

Is Sodium Polyacrylate Starch vegan?

Sodium Polyacrylate Starch is typically made from plant-derived starch combined with a synthetic polymer, so it usually contains no animal ingredients. This makes it generally suitable for vegan formulations. Anyone seeking certainty should look for a vegan certification on the finished product.

Sunscreens with Sodium Polyacrylate Starch

We rate 32 sunscreens that contain it, showing the top 10 by overall score:

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