Polyvinyl Alcohol

What Is It?

Polyvinyl AlcoholAlcohols are a large class of important cosmetic ingredients but only ethanol needs to be denatured to prevent it from being redirected from cosmetic applications to alcoholic beverages. is a polymerA naturally occurring or synthetic molecule made up of repeating units called monomers. of vinyl alcohol. In cosmetics and personal care products, Polyvinyl Alcohol is used in a wide range of products, including makeup, skin care products and facial masks.

Why Is It Used?

Polyvinyl Alcohol increases the thickness of the lipidFat or fat-like substance found in the cells of plants and animals that includes fats, waxes, oils, and related compounds. (oil) portion of cosmetics. It may also be used as a film formerIngredients that dry to form a thin coating on the skin, hair or nails. or a binderIngredients that hold together the ingredients of a compressed tablet or cake..

Scientific Facts

Polyvinyl Alcohol is a synthetic alcohol that can occur as a white, tasteless and odorless powder. Polyvinyl Alcohol is produced by the controlled hydrolysisDecomposition of a chemical compound into smaller constituents by reaction with water. of polyvinyl acetate and normally contains some level of unhydrolyzed acetate groups. Polyvinyl Alcohol has a variety of noncosmetic uses including its use in solutions for the eyes.

Safety Information

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) includes Polyvinyl Alcohol on its list of basic compounds allowed to be used in food contact surfaces. Polyvinyl Alcohol is also allowed to be used in coatings in contact with food. The safety of Polyvinyl Alcohol has been assessed by the Cosmetic Ingredient ReviewThe Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) was established in 1976 as an independent safety review program for cosmetic ingredients. The CIR Expert Panel consists of independent experts in dermatology, toxicology, pharmacolgy and veterinary medicine. The CIR includes participation by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration and the Consumer Federation of America. (CIR) Expert Panel. The CIR Expert Panel evaluated scientific data and concluded that Polyvinyl Alcohol was safe as used in cosmetics and personal care products.

CIR Safety Review: Clinical studies did not indicate that Polyvinyl Alcohol caused irritation. In an repeat insult patch test, Polyvinyl Alcohol had a low incidence of irritation during induction and no evidence of sensitization upon challenge. Further, a cumulative irritation study reported a low irritation. The CIR Expert Panel felt that the ingredient does not present a reproductive or developmental toxicity risk. No ocular irritation was noted from undiluted Polyvinyl Alcohol. Based on the available information, the CIR Expert Panel concluded that Polyvinyl Alcohol was safe as used in cosmetic formulations.

FDA: Link to Code of Federal Regulations for Polyvinyl Alcohol

Polyvinyl Alcohol may be used in cosmetics and personal care products marketed in Europe according to the general provisions of the Cosmetics Regulation of the European UnionUnder the general provisions of the cosmetics regulation of the EU, ingredients appearing on the following function-specific annexes must comply with the listed restrictions and/or specifications: colorants (Annex IV), preservatives (Annex V), UV filters (Annex VI) and other ingredients with specific concentration limits and/or other restrictions (Annex III). Ingredients specifically prohibited from use in cosmetic products are listed in Annex II. Other ingredients listed in the EU cosmetic ingredient database (CosIng) may be used without restrictions..

Link to the EU Cosmetic Regulation:
http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/consumers/product_labelling_and_p…

The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives has established an Acceptable Daily Intake of 50 mg/kg body weight for Polyvinyl Alcohol.
http://www.inchem.org/documents/jecfa/jecmono/v52je09.htm

More Scientific Information

Polyvinyl Alcohol is a water soluble synthetic polymer. In addition to being used in cosmetics and personal care products, it is used as a carbon dioxide barrier in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles.

Resources

Find out more about the regulation of Food Additives by the Food and Drug Administration

Food Ingredients and Packaging: http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/default.htm

Food Contact Substances: http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/PackagingFCS/defaul…

Substances Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS“GRAS” is an acronym for the phrase Generally Recognized As Safe. Under sections 201(s) and 409 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the Act), any substance that is intentionally added to food is a food additive, that is subject to premarket review and approval by FDA, unless the substance is generally recognized, among qualified experts, as having been adequately shown to be safe under the conditions of its intended use, or unless the use of the substance is otherwise excluded from the definition of a food additive.): http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/GRAS/default.htm

Search the Code of Federal Regulations http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/cfrsearch.cfm

EU Cosmetics Inventory http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cosmetics/cosing/