Polyvinyl Alcohol
Polyvinyl Alcohol is a cosmetic ingredient used as a film forming, viscosity controlling agent. It is used in 331 products in our dataset. It is regulated in the EU (listed in a Cosmetics Regulation annex). PubMed carries 1,927 studies of its skin or topical use.
| INCI name | POLYVINYL ALCOHOL |
| Function | FILM FORMING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING |
| CAS number | 9002-89-5 / 25213-24-5 |
| Prevalence | 331 products (0.36% of dataset) |
| Most used in | Skincare |
| EU status | Restricted (annex ) |
| Scientific studies | 1,927 on PubMed (skin/cosmetic/topical) |
| Monthly searches | 18,100 |
Used in
Wash Off Masks 33.8%Mascaras 21.1%Facial Treatments 7.3%Overnight Masks 6.3%Serums 4.2%Sheet Masks 3.6%
Frequently asked
- What does Polyvinyl Alcohol do in skincare?
- Polyvinyl Alcohol functions as a film forming, viscosity controlling agent in cosmetic formulas.
- Is Polyvinyl Alcohol allowed in cosmetics?
- Yes, but it is regulated in the EU — it appears in a Cosmetics Regulation annex with usage conditions.
- What products contain Polyvinyl Alcohol?
- It is most commonly found in Skincare products, especially wash off masks (33.8% of its uses).
Manufacturers with experience using Polyvinyl Alcohol
Match with vetted US contract manufacturers that have hands-on experience formulating with this ingredient.