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Abstract

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Conclusion

In the 1998 safety assessment of polyvinyl alcohol, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel concluded that this ingredient was safe as used in cosmetic products.¹ The Expert Panel reviewed newly available studies since that assessment, along with updated frequency and concentration of use information.^{2

–12} The Expert Panel reaffirmed the original conclusion that polyvinyl alcohol is safe as a cosmetic ingredient in the practices of use and concentration as given in Table 1 and did not reopen the safety assessment.

Table 1.

Historical and Current Use and Concentration of Use Data for Polyvinyl Alcohol.^1,11,12

	No. of uses		Maximum concentration of use (%)
	Polyvinyl alcohol
Data year	1998	2014	1998	2014
Totals^a	37	212	2-≤25^b	0.0035-15^c
Duration of use
Leave-on	23	186	2-3	0.1-15^c
Rinse-off	14	25	3-10	0.0035-14
Diluted for (bath) use	NR	1	NR	NR
Exposure type
Eye area	7	103	3	0.1-5.5
Incidental ingestion	NR	NR	NR	1
Incidental inhalation—spray?^d,e	4	57	NR	1.6-3
Reported spray^f	NR	NR	NR	NR
Incidental inhalation—Powder?^e,g	3	55	NR	0.1
Reported powder^h	NR	NR	NR	NR
Dermal contact	23	139	2-10	0.0035-15^c
Deodorant (underarm)—spray?^d	NR	3	NR	NR
Reported spray^f	NR	NR	NR	NR
Reported as not spray^f	NR	NR	NR	NR
Hair—noncoloring	1	3	NR	1-3
Hair coloring	NR	NR	NR	NR
Nail	8	1	NR	0.18
Mucous membrane	NR	1	NR	0.0035-1
Baby products	NR	NR	NR	NR

Abbreviation: NR, not reported.

^aBecause each ingredient may be used in cosmetics with multiple exposure types, the sum of all exposure types may not equal the sum of total uses.

^bUse concentrations not well detailed in 1998, a general maximum use concentration was reported to be ≤25% for all product uses. Specific use concentration data were provided for a few specific product categories.

^cFifteen percent reported in other skin care preparations, specifically a pull-off skin strip.

^dIt is possible these products may be sprays, but it is not specified whether the reported uses are sprays.

^eNot specified whether a powder or a spray, so this information is captured for both categories of incidental inhalation.

^fUse in a spray product has been reported in response to a survey conducted by the Council.

^gIt is possible these products may be powders, but it is not specified whether the reported uses are powders.

^hUse in a powder product has been reported in response to a survey conducted by the Council.

Discussion

Polyvinyl alcohol is listed in the International Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary and Handbook as a cosmetic ingredient and is described to function as a binder, film former, and viscosity-increasing agent in cosmetic products.²

Polyvinyl alcohol was reported to be used in eye makeup and skin care products.¹¹ The US Food and Drug Administration in 2014 reported that there were 212 total cosmetic uses, which is an increase from 37 uses reported in 1998. The maximum use concentration in 1998 was reported to be ≤25%.¹ A survey of use concentrations conducted by the Personal Care Products Council in 2014 reported maximum concentration of use ranges of 0.0035% to 15%, with the 15% reported to be used in a pull-off skin strip.¹²

Footnotes

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Funding

The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: The articles in this supplement were sponsored by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review is financially supported by the Personal Care Products Council.

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