YIKES: Acrylates Copolymer in Beauty Products

Are these as dangerous as they sound?

Most of the cosmetics and skincare products we use once contained only natural ingredients derived from a myriad  of herbs, fruits, berries. and essential oils. But things have changed in the last few decades. Chemical ingredients have been added to make the beauty products last longer, adhere better, and offer improved appearance.

Acrylate copolymer is a name for a family of chemicals that has been added to your beauty products. These copolymers contain acrylic acid of some sort or an ester in the acrylic acid family.

But are they harmful to your health?

Here’s what the acrylates copolymer do and the reasons they’re added into your beauty products:

• Absorbent: They help your skin to absorb the ingredients that are added into the skincare products.
• Adhesive: If you want that nail polish to adhere to your nails properly, that’s where acrylates copolymer comes in.
• Nail builder: It may be artificial, but the acrylates copolymer is designed to enhance the health and thickness of your fingernails.
• Binder: These acrylate copolymers serve as a binding agent, helping the various ingredients in the beauty products to blend together properly and hold.
• Film former: To ensure that there is proper protection on your nails, acrylates copolymer is added to nail polish to leave a thin protective film.
• Hair fixative” This doesn’t mean that it repairs your hair, but it helps to “fix it in place”–giving hair care products more holding power. Great for styling!
• Viscosity increasing agent: You expect your skin care lotions to be thick and creamy, and acrylates copolymer is added to those lotions to give them a good viscosity. Pretty much any cream or product that is thick may have acrylates copolymer added.

READ MORE: 9 Dangerous Chemicals in Your Kitchen

According to the FDA, acrylates copolymers can be used as an indirect food additive. This means that it can be used in the manufacture of the packaging items used to store and display food. If you buy different types of packaged foods, the plastic packaging may contain acrylates copolymer.

When it comes to direct contact with the body, acrylates copolymer have been proven to be more dangerous than you might think, especially in its concentrated form. It’s advised against allowing acrylates copolymer to come in contact with the skin or eyes, as it can be an irritant—leading to skin rashes, inflammation, etc.

Of course, you don’t find acrylates copolymer in concentrated dosages in your skincare products, so it should be fairly safe to use, right?

These acrylates copolymer are often used in OTC beauty products and personal care products, but it has been known to act as an irritant to certain people. The problem is most common among those with very sensitive skin, but some display allergic or negative reactions to the acrylates copolymer in their beauty products.

So, while acrylates copolymer aren’t harmful to everyone, there is a very real risk that they may cause negative side effects when YOU use them. If you notice that your skin is showing signs of irritation, it may be time to take a good hard look at your beauty products.

If they contain acrylates copolymer, these chemicals may be what is doing your body harm in the long run. The choice is yours.