Is Polyisobutene safe in cosmetics?
Polyisobutene has a safety rating of "GOOD" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
GOOD
Emollient
Polyisobutene
INCI: HYDROGENATED POLYISOBUTENE
Polyisobutene (CAS 61693-08-1) is a cosmetic emollient functioning as film-forming, adhesion agent, viscosity-increasing, skin-conditioning. EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 61693-08-1 →
Function
film-forming, adhesion agent, viscosity-increasing, skin-conditioning
Editorial assessment
GOOD
Preliminary editorial note — not a computed safety verdict.
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
2,2,4,4,6,6,8,8,10,10,12,12,14,14,16,16-hexadecamethylheptadecane
InChIKey
UCUGLVJQUIRCPK-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
CIR safe in cosmetics at present practices of use. Hydrogenated grade preferred over non-hydrogenated for improved oxidative stability. Provides tackiness and cling in lip gloss. Oral ingestion from lip products safe given high molecular weight limiting GI absorption.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Polyisobutene.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Softener and conditioner
Thickening agent
Viscosity modifier
Editorial summary
Preliminary editorial summary for Polyisobutene — not a computed safety verdict. See the sourced toxicological data above.
Regulatory Flags
cir-approved
lip-safe
film-former
tackifier
adhesion-agent
lip-gloss
oral-safe
high-molecular-weight
no-moah-concern
synthetic-polymer
Chemical Function
Softener and conditioner
Viscosity modifier
Thickening agent
Regulatory Lists
Europe; Personal care - make-up and related
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Polyisobutene allowed in the EU?
Polyisobutene EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Polyisobutene do in cosmetics?
Polyisobutene functions as: film-forming, adhesion agent, viscosity-increasing, skin-conditioning. It is classified as a Emollient in our database. CAS number: 61693-08-1.
Compliance Tools
Check Polyisobutene compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
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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
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