Polyacrylamide

Polyacrylamide is a high–molecular weight film-forming/thickening polymer used at low percentages in gels and texture systems; the polymer itself is generally non-reactive and shows low irritation in cosmetic use. The primary safety concern is trace residual acrylamide monomer, which can increase irritation risk if manufacturing quality is poor, so it cannot be treated as completely inert for highly reactive or eczema-prone skin. In typical well-controlled cosmetic formulations it is usually well tolerated, but I score it as very gentle rather than inert to reflect real-world variability and patient-safety caution. Safety Notes: In consumer skincare, polyacrylamide is most commonly supplied as part of pre-neutralized gel networks (e.g., polyacrylamide/C13-14 isoparaffin/laureth-7), so the lowest observed use levels in finished products are around 0.05–0.2% active polymer for light thickening/sensory slip in leave-on lotions/serums. Typical leave-on creams and sunscreens more often land around ~0.2–1.5% active polymer for structuring and emulsion stabilization. The highest OTC use levels observed are in very thick gels, peel-off/firming masks, and some styling/gel-texture products where the polyacrylamide network can approach ~2–3% active polymer; higher levels are uncommon due to texture, tack, and monomer (acrylamide) residual control expectations.