Fixative
Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) gives products an extra fixative power: it forms a thin coating over the hair that helps to maintain it in the position you wish. PVP promotes the dispersion of pigments, making it a very effective ingredient for creating well spread out makeup products. It is also a binder, helping to control the viscosity of a formula.
Description
Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) was first synthesized by the German chemist Walter Reppe and a patent was filed in 1939. It eventually had applications in medicine, pharmacy, cosmetics and industrial production and continues to be used very widely today.
After a quick search online, you may find that PVP is sometimes referred to as plastic. There are no official definitions of some types of plastics. A convincing argument can be made one way or the other as to whether a polymer like PVP should be defined as plastic or not. Styrene/acrylate/ammonium methacrylate copolymer is a similar material. Any material that may be traced back to the term 'plastic' is, very correctly, under scrutiny.
When people say 'plastic' they mostly mean lunchbox, rigid plastics. And when people say microplastics they mean small particles of rigid plastic that do not biodegrade and can move through water systems and out into oceans.These two polymer ingredients are not solid plastics but are dissolved and used in solution within the product. PVP is water-soluble while Styrene/acrylate/ammonium methacrylate copolymer is oil-soluble.
As they are in liquid form they are not thought of in the same way as microplastics and their impact in marine or freshwater environments has not been sufficiently researched yet. The lack of data and conflicting studies around their biodegradability is of great concern to us and we remain on the lookout for any new information on this or alternative, natural compounds.
For these reasons, we have long debated the inclusion of polymers in our makeup. Right now there are no new types that we can use to create the effect we know our customers want. Therefore, to make a product that works well and that is as close as possible to our ethics, we use these two types - PVP and Styrene/acrylate/ammonium methacrylate copolymer. Used together, they make it possible to have products that do what our customers need them to do. In makeup they need to stay on the eyes and face and not slip off or smudge. Therefore the final effects will be long-lasting and beautiful.
