Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer Description

Hydroxyethyl acrylate/sodium acryloyldimethyl taurate copolymer is a synthetic polymer that has many uses in cosmetics: it primarily functions as a stabilizer, texture enhancer, dispersing agent, and opacifier.

It is often combined with ingredients such as isohexadecane, various polysorbates, and a blend of dimethicone- or siloxane-based silicones. These combinations give a cosmetics chemist several options to create appealing aesthetics. Unlike other thickeners, when available in a liquid mixture it allows the formulator to adjust the viscosity of the formula at the end of the process. The copolymer plays a role in how fast a product “breaks” on skin (meaning how quickly its initial texture changes once applied). For this reason, it’s often used in products with transformative, gel-cream textures.

Another helpful aspect of this copolymer is that it can be used within a wide pH range without its efficacy or stability changing.

The independent Cosmetic Ingredient Review has deemed this ingredient safe as used in cosmetics. Concentration maximums include 4.3% in rinse-off products and up to 3.6% in leave-on products, including eyeliners and eyeshadows. Cosmetic brands typically use less than those maximum amounts since the safety assessment of this ingredient capped its usage at 3% in leave-on products.