How we scored it
Where it comes from
Dominant route is anionic polymerisation of styrene and butadiene to a block copolymer followed by catalytic hydrogenation. No natural-origin route is in commercial use.
In plain English
A rubbery oil-soluble polymer of styrene, butene and ethene that thickens and gels oils and adds a flexible film. It is made entirely from petrochemical monomers and then hydrogenated.
CosIng definition: Ethenylbenzene, polymer with butene and ethene, hydrogenated
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References
- 1ISO 16128-1:2016 and ISO 16128-2:2017 — Guidelines on technical definitions and criteria for natural and organic cosmetic ingredients and products. ISO, Geneva.
- 2HYDROGENATED BUTYLENE/ETHYLENE/STYRENE COPOLYMER. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
- 3HYDROGENATED BUTYLENE/ETHYLENE/STYRENE COPOLYMER. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=HYDROGENATED%20BUTYLENE/ETHYLENE/STYRENE%20COPOLYMER