About this material
Polylysine (epsilon-polylysine) (Polylysine) is fermentation-derived cationic polypeptide supplied by MakeYourSkin as white to off-white hygroscopic powder for professional cosmetic formulation. Sourced in the Japan tradition. It is valued for antibacterial action, natural antimicrobial support.
What is Polylysine (epsilon-polylysine)?
Polylysine (epsilon-polylysine) is supplied under the INCI / technical name Polylysine.
It belongs to the Fermentation-derived cationic polypeptide group. The material reaches you as white to off-white hygroscopic powder. Not listed in EU Annex V, so it cannot be declared as a preservative in the EU and is used as a skin-conditioning agent; cationic, so it is inactivated by anionic surfactants and polymers.
Key Properties & Benefits
- Antibacterial action
- Natural antimicrobial support
- Supplied with full documentation — CoA, SDS and specification
Uses & Applications
Typically formulated into natural-positioned preservation support, masks, wipes, scalp care.
How to Use — Recommended Use Level
Typical use level: 0.05-0.3%. Add at the water phase. Water-soluble. Disperse into the water phase with stirring; avoid prolonged high heat where the material is heat-sensitive.
Always trial the material in your own base at small scale before scaling up. Use levels are formulation starting points, not approvals.
Technical Specification
- INCI name: Polylysine
- Ingredient family: Fermentation-derived cationic polypeptide
- Origin / tradition: Japan
- Typical form: white to off-white hygroscopic powder
- Solubility: Water Soluble
- Typical use level: 0.05-0.3%
- pH range: 4.5–7.0
- Addition phase: Water phase
- Pack sizes: 10 g; 50 g; 100 g; 1 Kg; bulk on request
Technical Notes
Not listed in EU Annex V, so it cannot be declared as a preservative in the EU and is used as a skin-conditioning agent; cationic, so it is inactivated by anionic surfactants and polymers.
Regulatory Note
Sold as a cosmetic raw material for professional formulation. A published INCI name does not by itself authorise use: the buyer is responsible for confirming permitted status, maximum concentration, restrictions by product type, labelling and claim rules in every market the finished product is sold in. In India, cosmetics fall under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 and the Cosmetics Rules 2020 administered by CDSCO, with BIS standards (including IS 4707 Part 2) listing restricted substances. The EU applies Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 and its Annexes; the United States applies the FD&C Act as amended by MoCRA; Korea, Japan and China operate their own positive lists and functional-cosmetic frameworks. Every finished product needs its own safety assessment.
Documentation Supplied
Certificate of Analysis (CoA) for the batch supplied; Safety Data Sheet (SDS / MSDS) in the current GHS format; INCI and technical specification sheet; allergen, GMO and origin statements on request; vegan, halal and kosher declarations where the supply chain supports them.
Available Pack Sizes
10 g; 50 g; 100 g; 1 Kg; bulk on request
Disclaimer & Caution in Use
For external cosmetic use in professionally formulated products only. This is a concentrated raw material, not a finished product: do not apply it undiluted to skin or hair. Wear suitable gloves and eye protection when handling, weigh in a ventilated area, and keep out of reach of children. Patch test every finished formulation. Not for ingestion unless a food or oral-care grade is specifically supplied and documented as such. Seek medical advice in case of eye contact, ingestion or an adverse reaction.
Specification
| INCI NAME | Polylysine |
|---|---|
| CAS NUMBER | Not assigned |
| FAMILY | Fermentation-derived cationic polypeptide |
| ORIGIN | Japan |
| SUPPLY FORM | white to off-white hygroscopic powder |
| SOLUBILITY | Water-soluble. Disperse into the water phase with stirring; avoid prolonged high heat where the material is heat-sensitive. |
| TYPICAL USE LEVEL | 0.05-0.3% |
| pH RANGE | 4.5–7.0 |
| ADD AT | Water phase |
| FUNCTIONS | antibacterial action, natural antimicrobial support |
| USED IN | natural-positioned preservation support, masks, wipes, scalp care |
| STORAGE | Store at 15–25 °C in a tightly closed container, protected from light. Do not freeze. Some biological materials are supplied chilled — follow the batch documentation. |
| PACK SIZES | 10 g; 50 g; 100 g; 1 Kg; bulk on request |
| LEAD TIME | 10–16 days |
| REGULATORY | Sold as a cosmetic raw material for professional formulation. A published INCI name does not by itself authorise use: the buyer is responsible for confirming permitted status, maximum concentration, restrictions by product type, labelling and claim rules in every market the finished product is sold in. In India, cosmetics fall under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 and the Cosmetics Rules 2020 administered by CDSCO, with BIS standards (including IS 4707 Part 2) listing restricted substances. The EU applies Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 and its Annexes; the United States applies the FD&C Act as amended by MoCRA; Korea, Japan and China operate their own positive lists and functional-cosmetic frameworks. Every finished product needs its own safety assessment. |
How to work with it
The specification's Add at row is the one to read first. Water-phase materials added to a hot oil phase are the most common reason a batch separates.
Measure the finished product, not the premix. Outside the range the activity drops away and, for some materials, the degradation route is what causes complaints.
Then work up through stability and compatibility testing. Higher is not better, and the destination market's limit may sit below your formulation ceiling.