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Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer

What Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer is & what it does

A polymer microsphere (SunSpheres) that scatters light to boost SPF efficiency, letting formulas reach higher protection with less filter. It also gives a smooth feel.

What is Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer and what does it do in sunscreen?

Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer is a polymer that, in sunscreen, often takes the form of tiny hollow microspheres that scatter light and boost SPF efficiency. By bouncing light back toward the UV filters, it lets a formula reach higher protection with less filter. It also contributes a smooth, even feel.

Is Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer safe?

Yes. It is a film-forming polymer that stays on the skin surface and is not absorbed, used in cosmetics for many years without notable concern. At the small amounts used in a sunscreen it is well tolerated. It is an inert texturizing and SPF-boosting agent rather than an active.

Does Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer clog pores?

Generally no. It is an inert polymer used in small amounts, not an oil or wax, and it is not flagged as comedogenic in our data. Its job is to scatter light and smooth texture on the surface. It is an unlikely cause of clogged pores.

Is Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer a UV filter?

No, not in the regulatory sense. It does not absorb UV the way a true filter does, so it is not listed among the active sunscreen ingredients. Instead it scatters light to make the actual UV filters more efficient, which can raise the measured SPF. The protection still comes from the filters themselves.

What is Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer on an ingredient list (INCI)?

"Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer" is the INCI name as printed on the label, slash included. It is a copolymer of styrene and acrylate monomers, here used as light-scattering microspheres. It usually appears in the middle of the list among the texture and film-forming agents.

Sunscreens with Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer

We rate 427 sunscreens that contain it, showing the top 10 by overall score:

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