Is Polybutene safe in cosmetics?
Polybutene has a safety rating of "EXCELLENT" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
EXCELLENT
Cosmetic Ingredient
Polybutene
Also known as: 1-Butene, homopolymer, poly(1-butene)
INCI: POLYBUTENE
Polybutene (CAS 9003-28-5) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Viscosity increasing (non-aqueous), film forming, skin conditioning. EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database.
Function
Viscosity increasing (non-aqueous), film forming, skin conditioning
Editorial assessment
EXCELLENT
Preliminary editorial note — not a computed safety verdict.
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
CIR reviewed — safe as used (1982, reaffirmed 2015 in Polyenes group report)
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Polybutene.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Adhesion/cohesion promoter
Regulatory List Membership (1)
FDA Indirect Food Contact Additives
Editorial summary
Preliminary editorial summary for Polybutene — not a computed safety verdict. See the sourced toxicological data above.
Regulatory Flags
epa_safer_alternative
ifra_fragrance
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Polybutene by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
1
Lowest NOAEL
1000 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
1000 mg/kg bw/day
ECHA
Known Synonyms
1-Butene, homopolymer
poly(1-butene)
Chemical Function
Adhesion/cohesion promoter
Regulatory Lists
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
Indirect additives food contact (10/2018)
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Polybutene allowed in the EU?
Polybutene EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Polybutene do in cosmetics?
Polybutene functions as: Viscosity increasing (non-aqueous), film forming, skin conditioning. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 9003-28-5.
Compliance Tools
Check Polybutene compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
Paste a full ingredient list for instant analysis
82 Allergen Checker
Check for EU declarable fragrance allergens
Substance Compliance
Check compliance across multiple jurisdictions
MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
Heavy Metal Limits
Compare limits across jurisdictions
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