Hydroxyethylcellulose

Hydroxyethylcellulose is a cosmetic ingredient used as a binding, emulsion stabilising agent. It appears in about 4% of cosmetic products in our 90,000+ product dataset. It carries no restriction under the EU Cosmetics Regulation annexes. PubMed carries 160 studies of its skin or topical use.

INCI nameHYDROXYETHYLCELLULOSE
FunctionBINDING, EMULSION STABILISING, FILM FORMING, LIGHT STABILIZER
CAS number9004-62-0
Prevalence3,247 products (3.5% of dataset)
Most used inSkincare
EU statusNo annex restriction
Scientific studies160 on PubMed (skin/cosmetic/topical)
Monthly searches2,400

Used in

Serums 23.8%Sheet Masks 7.9%Mascaras 6.7%Conditioners 6.1%Face Cleansers 5.6%Toners 4.3%

Frequently asked

What does Hydroxyethylcellulose do in skincare?
Hydroxyethylcellulose functions as a binding, emulsion stabilising agent in cosmetic formulas.
What products contain Hydroxyethylcellulose?
It is most commonly found in Skincare products, especially serums (23.8% of its uses).

Manufacturers with experience using Hydroxyethylcellulose

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