Hydroxyethyl Urea

Hydroxyethyl Urea is a cosmetic ingredient used as a hair conditioning, humectant agent. It appears in about 1% of cosmetic products in our 90,000+ product dataset. It is regulated in the EU (listed in a Cosmetics Regulation annex).

INCI nameHYDROXYETHYL UREA
FunctionHAIR CONDITIONING, HUMECTANT, SKIN CONDITIONING
CAS number1320-51-0
EC number215-304-0
Prevalence738 products (0.8% of dataset)
Most used inSkincare
EU statusRestricted (annex )
Monthly searches590

Used in

General Moisturizers 16.1%Serums 15%Toners 14.6%Sheet Masks 11.8%Face Cleansers 4.5%Body Lotions 4.3%

Frequently asked

What does Hydroxyethyl Urea do in skincare?
Hydroxyethyl Urea functions as a hair conditioning, humectant agent in cosmetic formulas.
Is Hydroxyethyl Urea allowed in cosmetics?
Yes, but it is regulated in the EU — it appears in a Cosmetics Regulation annex with usage conditions.
What products contain Hydroxyethyl Urea?
It is most commonly found in Skincare products, especially general moisturizers (16.1% of its uses).

Manufacturers with experience using Hydroxyethyl Urea

Match with vetted US contract manufacturers that have hands-on experience formulating with this ingredient.