Is the cosmetic ingredient hydrogenated polyisobutene bad for your skin?

Unknown ingredients in cosmetics

Even if you look at all the ingredients in cosmetics, there are a lot of names you don't understand. You're curious about what the ingredients are, but you don't really know what they are. Hydrogenated polyisobutene may be one of those ingredients.

Hydrogenated polyisobutene is made from the synthetic polymer polyisobutene. It is a compound made by adding hydrogen to polyisobutene. It has the ability to create an artificial film on the skin and is adhesive. It is also said to have a high emollient effect , making it a convenient ingredient to use in cosmetics.

However, highly functional ingredients are not necessarily good for the skin, as many ingredients are included for the purpose of improving usability or creating a luxurious feel.

What about hydrogenated polyisobutene? Let's take a closer look at this article.

Advantages of hydrogenated polyisobutene

The benefits of hydrogenated polyisobutene in cosmetics are as follows:

• Gives a smooth and shiny texture
• Gives a watery shine
• Locks in moisture
• Keeps skin and lips soft
• Non-sticky

Taking advantage of these characteristics, it is often used in lip glosses. Lip glosses that are shiny and watery but not sticky may contain this ingredient.

Is it safe for skin?

In general, hydrogenated polyisobutene is considered to be safe and has low skin irritation.

In a safety evaluation by CIR , a patch test at a concentration of 1.44% showed only slight erythema, and no phototoxicity, photoallergy, or eye irritation was observed.

Hydrogenated polyisobutene creates a protective barrier on the skin, trapping moisture in the skin and helping it stay hydrated for longer. That's why it's often used in moisturizing cosmetics, such as lip balms and moisturizing creams.

However, it is not an ingredient that moisturizes the skin itself. It merely prevents existing moisture from escaping. Therefore, it may not be as effective at restoring moisture to already dry skin or lips.

It has the same function as mineral oil and silicone in creating a protective barrier to lock in moisture. For this reason, hydrogenated polyisobutene is sometimes used instead of these in " mineral oil -free" or "silicone-free" products.

Is hydrogenated polyisobutene naturally derived?

Hydrogenated polyisobutene is not a naturally occurring substance.

As mentioned at the beginning, this ingredient is made from the synthetic polymer polyisobutene. Polyisobutene is manmade using isobutylene, a hydrocarbon derived from petroleum and natural gas, so it cannot be considered a natural ingredient.

By the way, polyisobutene is classified as a non-biodegradable cosmetic ingredient by European environmental organizations . This means that it can accumulate in nature after being discharged. Even if it doesn't put a strain on the skin, it can have an impact on the natural environment.

Are there any natural alternatives to hydrogenated polyisobutene?

There are also natural ingredients that may have similar effects to hydrogenated polyisobutene.

• Jojoba oil
• Almond Oil
• Coconut oil
• Shea butter
• Beeswax

Oils and waxes derived from plants may have the same barrier-forming and moisturizing effects as hydrogenated polyisobutene.

It's nice to know there are options that don't put a strain on the earth. I want to choose cosmetics that suit my skin type and values.