Acrylic Films in Cosmetics: Decoding the Structural Mechanism of a High-Performing Skin Coating

For the past two decades, petroleum-based polymers have dominated the long-wear makeup segment of the cosmetic industry. Film-forming agents, such as acrylic polymers, are highly valued for their versatility and their ability to create sebum-insensitive, elastic, and resilient films on the skin and thus remain widely used. However, current research is increasingly focused on identifying more eco-friendly and biodegradable alternatives. In this context, it is essential to analyze the properties of acrylic polymer films to elucidate the key characteristics that make these systems efficient in real-world applications. Here, macroscopic properties, such as tensile strength and tack, intrinsic parameters including glass transition temperature and particle size, as well as nanoscale structural, mechanical, and viscoelastic characteristics assessed using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), are examined. This comprehensive analysis defines the requirements that future biodegradable alternatives must fulfill to replicate, or even surpass, the in vivo performance of traditional acrylics.