About this material
Polyethylene powder (Polyethylene) is polyolefin powder supplied by MakeYourSkin as white powder or beads for professional cosmetic formulation. Sourced in the China / TCM tradition. It is valued for exfoliation (legacy), texture, slip, oil structuring.
What is Polyethylene powder?
Polyethylene powder is supplied under the INCI / technical name Polyethylene.
It belongs to the Polyolefin powder group. The material reaches you as white powder or beads. Microbead exfoliating use is banned for rinse-off in the US (Microbead-Free Waters Act), the UK, Korea, India and the EU; micronised grades remain usable as texture agents only where the microplastic rules permit.
Key Properties & Benefits
- Exfoliation (legacy)
- Texture
- Slip
- Oil structuring
- Supplied with full documentation — CoA, SDS and specification
Uses & Applications
Typically formulated into scrubs (legacy), sticks, pomades.
How to Use — Recommended Use Level
Typical use level: 1-20%. Add at the oil phase. Oil-soluble. Add to the oil phase; will not disperse in water without a solubiliser or emulsifier.
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: Polyethylene
- Ingredient family: Polyolefin powder
- Origin / tradition: China / TCM
- Typical form: White powder or beads
- Solubility: Oil Soluble
- Typical use level: 1-20%
- pH range: any
- Addition phase: Oil phase
- Pack sizes: 50 g; 225 g; 1 Kg; 5 Kg; bulk on request
Technical Notes
Microbead exfoliating use is banned for rinse-off in the US (Microbead-Free Waters Act), the UK, Korea, India and the EU; micronised grades remain usable as texture agents only where the microplastic rules permit.
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
50 g; 225 g; 1 Kg; 5 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. CORROSIVE: causes severe burns. Always add the base to water, never water to the base, and handle with full face and hand protection.
Specification
| INCI NAME | Polyethylene |
|---|---|
| CAS NUMBER | Not assigned |
| FAMILY | Polyolefin powder |
| ORIGIN | China / TCM |
| SUPPLY FORM | White powder or beads |
| SOLUBILITY | Oil-soluble. Add to the oil phase; will not disperse in water without a solubiliser or emulsifier. |
| TYPICAL USE LEVEL | 1-20% |
| pH RANGE | any |
| ADD AT | Oil phase |
| FUNCTIONS | Exfoliation (legacy), texture, slip, oil structuring |
| USED IN | Scrubs (legacy), sticks, pomades |
| STORAGE | Store in a tightly closed container at 15–25 °C, away from direct sunlight. Protect from freezing and from prolonged heat. |
| PACK SIZES | 50 g; 225 g; 1 Kg; 5 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.