Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose is a cosmetic ingredient used as an antistatic, binding 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). PubMed carries 403 studies of its skin or topical use.
| INCI name | HYDROXYPROPYL METHYLCELLULOSE |
| Function | ANTISTATIC, BINDING, EMULSION STABILISING, FILM FORMING |
| CAS number | 9004-65-3 |
| Prevalence | 556 products (0.6% of dataset) |
| Most used in | Skincare |
| EU status | Restricted (annex ) |
| Scientific studies | 403 on PubMed (skin/cosmetic/topical) |
| Monthly searches | 4,400 |
Used in
Face Cleansers 23%Shampoos 15.3%Serums 11.7%Body Washes 5.4%Facial Treatments 4.1%General Moisturizers 3.8%
Frequently asked
- What does Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose do in skincare?
- Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose functions as an antistatic, binding agent in cosmetic formulas.
- Is Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose allowed in cosmetics?
- Yes, but it is regulated in the EU — it appears in a Cosmetics Regulation annex with usage conditions.
- What products contain Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose?
- It is most commonly found in Skincare products, especially face cleansers (23% of its uses).
Manufacturers with experience using Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Match with vetted US contract manufacturers that have hands-on experience formulating with this ingredient.