Excellent Cosmetic Ingredient Dermal Penetration

Carbomer

INCI: CARBOMER

CAS Number

9003-01-4

Function

Film-forming polymer; thickener; gelling agent; emulsion stabilizer

Safety Rating

EXCELLENT

Regulatory Status

🇪🇺 EU Status restricted

EU Max Conc. 0.01% concentration threshold; rinse-off (non-scrub) ban from 17 Oct 2027; leave-on ban from 17 Oct 2029; colour cosmetics ban deferred to 17 Oct 2035

🇺🇸 US Status permitted

US Notes CIR: safe as used (reaffirmed 2003); most widely used acrylates copolymer with 6,434 formulations in VCRP 2018 data; modern grades specify benzene residual well below regulatory limits; no US restriction

For full compliance data across 55 jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.

Safety Data

Margin of Safety (MoS)

adequate

Dermal Absorption

negligible

Sensitization

none

Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.

Dermal Penetration Profile

Skin absorption and penetration characteristics of Carbomer, relevant to systemic exposure and MoS calculations.

Absorption %

Penetration Level

surface

Penetration Depth

surface only

Molecular Weight

Variable Da

Log P

n/a

Systemic Absorption

Topical Bioavailability

Safety Margin Factor

none

Source: CIR

Expert Verdict

Excellent safety and tolerability record across the broadest range of formulation types. EU REACH SPM restriction (2023/2055) applies—crosslinked, insoluble structure does not qualify for exemption. Leave-on reformulation required by October 2029; rinse-off by October 2027. Specify modern grade to ensure benzene residual below threshold.

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Concern Level: None

Regulatory Flags

eu-microplastic-restriction reach-2023-2055 leave-on-ban-2029 rinse-off-ban-2027 colour-cosmetics-ban-2035 synthetic-polymer non-biodegradable electrolyte-sensitive reformulation-required echa-reporting derogation-5 eu_children_restricted epa_safer_alternative

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Carbomer safe in cosmetics?

Is Carbomer allowed in the EU?

Carbomer EU regulatory status: restricted. Maximum allowed concentration: 0.01% concentration threshold; rinse-off (non-scrub) ban from 17 Oct 2027; leave-on ban from 17 Oct 2029; colour cosmetics ban deferred to 17 Oct 2035. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.

What does Carbomer do in cosmetics?

Carbomer functions as: Film-forming polymer; thickener; gelling agent; emulsion stabilizer. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 9003-01-4.

What is the Margin of Safety for Carbomer?

adequate The Margin of Safety (MoS) is calculated using SCCS methodology. A MoS above 100 is generally considered safe. Use the MoS Calculator tool to calculate MoS for your specific formulation and product category.

Compliance Tools

Check Carbomer compliance across multiple jurisdictions:

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Ingredient Decoder

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82 Allergen Checker

Check for EU declarable fragrance allergens

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Substance Compliance

Check compliance across 55 jurisdictions

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MoS Calculator

Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology

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Heavy Metal Limits

Compare limits across jurisdictions

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